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1

Here begynneth the holy lyfe and history of saynt werburge / very frutefull for all christen people to rede.

[_]

Square brackets denote editorial insertions or emendations.

The Prologe of .J. T. in the honour & laude of saint Werburge / and to the prayse of þe translatour of the legende folowynge.

1

Honour / ioye / and glorie / the toynes organicall,
Endeles myrthes wt melodies! / prayse ye all ye princes,
Nourisshed in vertue / intact / as pure as cristall,
Relefe to all synners! / o Werburge, lady maistres;
In grace thou passed / all other, and in goodnes,
Whan thou was present in this mundayne lyfe;
None was the lyke / wydowe / mayde / ne wyfe.

2

By diuyne grace / to vs a ryche present,
Reioyce we may / in Werburge one and all,
A gemme of vertue / a virgin resplendent,
Dilect of our lorde (in ioye and blis eternall
Surely she is set) to intercede and call,
Her mouth nat cessyng / for them to call and crye
And in her trust / of synne to haue mercy.
2

3

O good lady maistres / declyne thy syght a-fer
And graciously beholde / thy seruaunt chast and pure,
Henry Bradsha / sometyme monke in Chester,
Whiche only for thy loue / toke the payne and laboure
Thy legende to translate— / he dyd his busy cure,
Out of latine / in Englisshe rude and vyle,
Whiche he hath amended / with many an ornate style.

4

Alas, of Chestre / ye monkes haue lost a treasure,
Henry Bradsha / the styrpe of eloquence!
Chestre, thou may wayle / the deth of this floure;
So may the citeȝens / alas! for his absence,
So may many other / for lacke of his sentence.
O swete lady Werburge / an holy Abbasse glorious,
Remembre Henry Bradsha / thy seruaunt most gracious.

5

In hym remayned no vice ne presumpcion,
Enuy and wrath / from hym were exyled,
Slouth ne Venus in hym had no dominion,
Auarice and glotony / he vtterly expelled;
No vice in hym regned / his felowes he excelled.
As clene as cristall / he bare these vertues thre:
Chastite / obidience / and wylfull pouerte.

6

O cruell deth / whiche art the perfite ende
Of this noble clerke / and euery mortall thyng,
Agaynst the / no man may hym defende;
Thou causest wo / languor / and anguissyng.
And who on this / wolde haue remembryng
Howe from erth / to erth he must agayne,
He wolde dispise all thynges that be mundayne.
Vale.
7

Here foloweth the lyfe of the gloryous virgyn saynt werburge / also many miracles that god hath shewed for her. / & fyrst the prologe of the auctour.

9

[Whan Phebus had ronne his cours in sagittari]

[BOOK I.]

The prologe of the translatour of this lytell werke, þe lyfe of saynt Werburge. [Ca. i.]

1

Whan Phebus had ronne his cours in sagittari
And Capricorne entred, a sygne retrograt,
Amyddes Decembre / þe ayre colde & frosty,
And pale Lucyna / the erthe dyd illumynat,
I rose vp shortly / fro my cubycle preparat,
Aboute mydnyght / and cast in myne intent
How I myght spende / the tyme conuenyent.

2

I called vnto mynde / the great vnstedfastnes
Of this wretched worlde— / not by cours of nature—
How there be brought / some men to busynes,
Oppressed with pouerte / langour / and dyspleasure,
Some other exalted / to felycyte and pleasure.
The maker of mankynde / most in maieste,
Ruleth all at his wyll / it may non other be.

3

Beholde dyscretly / and se the fyrmament,
Consyder the sonne / and the mone also,
With all the planettes / and sterres resplendent,
How they kepe theyr cours / bothe to and fro,
Euer obedyent / theyr creature vnto;
And byrdes besely / syngynge euery day,
Praysynge theyr prymate all that they may;
10

4

The .iii. elementes / in lyke condycyon,
The fyre / the water / the ayre / and the londe,
Obseruen theyr duty / after theyr creacyon
And buxum ben / and euer so be fonde.
Thus euery creature / as we vnderstonde,
Obeyeth to his creature / with humylyte—
Except dyssolute man / folowyng sensualyte;

5

If man wyll remembre / how he was create
To the lykenes and figure / of god almyghty,
And set in paradyse / a place moost delycate,
To haue the fruycyon / of eternall glory /
If not synne expulsed hym / to the vale of mysery,
But that he wolde enclyne / his naturall reason
To serue his maker / truely at due season.

6

Dyuers people / haue dyuers condicions:
Comynly proued / it is euery day:
Some set to vertu / and good disposycyons,
In penaunce / prayer / all that they may,
Some in contemplacyon / the sothe to say,
Some in abstynence / to chastyce the body
And make it subget / to the soule perfytely;

7

Some other reioyce / in synne and ydelnes,
Some seruauntes to Venus / both day and nyght,
Other to couetyse / and worldly besynes,
Some to deceyue / by subtylte in syght,
Some vnto marchandyse / & wynnynge full ryght,
Some ferefull and tymerous / without audacyte,
Some sadde and sobre / and of great grauyte;

8

Many haue pleasure to speke of rybaudry,
Some of fyghtynge / braulynge / and actes marcyall,
Other to flater / and paynt the company,
11

Some to syt bytwene the cuppe and the wall,
Some to blaspheme / and dyssemble withall,
To backbyte and sclaunder / by malyce and enuy,
Some to extorcyon / thefte and playne robry.

9

Thus after fraylte / and sundry compleccyons
Dyuers men dyuers in lyuynge there be,
Dysposed by a contrary dysposycyon,
Some vnto vertue / some vnto vanyte;
Many maners of people / now we may se
Wauerynge in the worlde / without quyetnes,
As a shyp by tempest / is dryuen, doubtles.

10

Whan I reuolued / with due circumstaunce
The dyuers maners / and mutabylyte
Of worldly people / and the great varyaunce,
And how this lyfe / is of no suerte,
Now in great langour / now in prosperyte;
yet after our meryte / we shalbe sure
To be rewarded / at our departure:

11

Than to vertuous labours / we shulde apply
And spende not our tyme / all in ydlenes;
For, as a byrde is made / by nature to fly,
Ryght so we shulde vse / some good busynes
To our soule-helthe / with great mekenes;
For tyme euyl spende / in labours vayne
Is harde to be well / recouered agayne.

12

But now, syth I am / a relygyous man,
For losynge of tyme / can not me excuse,
Therfore I purpose / to do as I can:
All suche ydlenes / whylom to refuse,
With the grace of god / the tyme for to vse
Some small treatyse / to wryte breuely
To the comyn vulgares / theyr mynde to satysfy.
12

13

To descrybe hye hystoryes / I dare not be so bolde,
Syth it is a mater / for clerkes conuenyent,
As of the .vii. aeges / and of our parentes olde,
Or of the .iiii. empyres / whylom moost excellent;
Knowynge my lernynge / therto insuffycyent.
As for bawdy balades / ye shall haue none of me,
To excyte lyght hertes / to pleasure and vanyte.

14

But now in auoydynge / suche great folysshenes
I purpose to wryte / a legende good and true
And translate a lyfe / into Englysshe doubtles;
I meane the spouse / of our lorde Ihesu,
Blessed saynt Werburge / replete with vertue,
A noble prynces borne / & vyrgyne pure and gloryous,
After an holy monyall / and an abbesse gracyous.

15

In the abbay of Chestre / she is shryned rychely,
Pryores and lady / of that holy place,
The chyef protectryce / of the sayd monastery
Longe before the conquest / by deuyne grace;
Protectryce of the Cytee / she is and euer was,
Called specyall prymate / and pryncypall presydent,
There rulynge vnder / our lorde omnypotent.

16

And yf I vnworthy / begynne this lytell werke,
I praye all the reders / mekely of pardon,
To correcke and amende / syth I am no clerke,
Excuse my ignoraunce / and take the entencyon.
My mynde is to shewe / her lyfe and deuocyon,
That euery man and woman / ensample maye take
At this pure vyrgyn / synne to forsake.

17

And syth that she is / in blysse now gloryfyed,
It were no reason / her name be had in scylence,
But to the people / her name be magnyfyed,
13

To her laude and prayse / honour and reuerence.
Her parentes and bretherne / þe floures of experyence,
Haue ben kepte in close / secrete many a day:
Wherfore I purpose / somwhat of them to say.

18

Fyrst I entende / to make playne descrypcyon
Of her fathers kyngedome / the realme of Mercyens,
How longe it endured / vnder his tuycyon,
Vnder how many kynges / it had prehemynens;
Also of her petygre / the noble excellence—
For so many sayntes / of one kynred, certayne,
Is harde to be founde / in all the worlde agayne.

19

Vnto this rude werke / myne auctours these shalbe:
Fyrst the true legende / and the venerable Bede,
Mayster Alfrydus / and Wyllyam Maluysburye,
Gyrarde / Polycronycon / and other mo in deed.
Now gloryous god / graunt me to procede;
Blessed vyrgyn Werburge / my holy patronesse,
Helpe me to endyte / I praye the, swete maystresse.

A descrypcyon of the realme of Mercyens / of bondes and commodytes of the same. [Ca. ii]

20

The yere of our sauyoure / by full computacyon
Foure hundred / nyne & fourty frome his natiuite,
As venerable Bede / maketh declaracyon,
Duke Hengyst came to this lande in great royalte
With Saxons / Angles / Iutes / thre people myghtye;
Desyred by Vortyger / than kynge of Brytons,
Came to defende [him] / fro greuous oppressyons.

21

Also the yeres of our blessed sauyoure
Syxe hundreth foure score and nyne expresse
The Brytons were expulsed / so sayth mync auctoure,
14

From Englande to walles / with great wretchydnes.
In Englande than ruled / seuen kynges, doubtles,
whose names we purpose / to shewe with lycens,
But pryncypally / of the kyngdome of Mercyens.

22

The fyrst realme of Saxons / began in Kent,
The yere of grace / foure hundreth fyue and fyfty;
Where duke Engystus / in honour excellent,
With septre and crowne / fyrst reygned royally.
The seconde was Southsex / sayth the hystory,
Wher Adla and Ella / reygned full ryght;
Whiche realme endured / but short tyme in myght.

23

The thyrde was Westsaxons / famous and myghty,
Where fyrst reygned / kynge Cerdicus,
The yere of our lorde / fyue hundreth one and twenty;
Whiche realme by processe / and power vyctoryous
Subdued all other / to hym, full memorous.
The pryncypall Cytees / of his regalyte
Were in olde season / Wynchester and Salesburye.

24

The fourth was Estsex / Where duke Erchenwyn
Fyrst reygned kynge / hauynge domynacyon,
By the kynge of Merselande / brought ofte to ruyne;
The chyef Cytee was Colchester / of his domynyon.
Also of eest-Englande / was the fyfth kyngdome,
Where Vffa crowned / had fyrst the sufferaynte
Of Northfolke and Southfolke / knowen in certaynte.

25

The syxthe was the kyngdome of Merslande,
Where Cryda was crowned / fyrst by auctoryte,
Hauynge nyne shyres / obedyent to his hande,
As after shall appere / more euydent to be.
The seuenth was Northumberlande / vnder Ida & Alle,
Whylom dyuyded / in sondry kyngdomes twayne;
The chyfe Cytee was yorke / wher þe kynge dyd reygne.
15

26

The realme of Mercyens / by olde antyquyte,
As playnly declareth / Polycronycon,
Thre hundreth yeres / endured in auctoryte,
Vnder eyghtene kynges / worthy nomynyon,
Greatest of gouernaunce of all this regyon;
Where Vulfer reygned / a kynge vyctoryous,
Father to saynt Werburge / vyrgyn moost gloryous.

27

The boundes and lorshyppes / of the sayd Mercyens,
As shewen dyuers bokes hystoryall,
Were large and myghty / and of great prehemynens,
Where the sayd kynge reygned by power imperyall.
This realme to dyscrybe / begyn we shall
At the Cytee of Chester / and the water of Dee,
Bytwene Englande and wales / of the west partye;

28

And so transcendynge / vp towarde Shrewysbury
By the water of Sabryne / vnto Brystowe;
The Eest-see mesureth / the Eest parte, truely;
The water of Thamys / the south parte doth shewe,
Flowynge vnto London / who-so dothe it knowe;
The water of Humbre / was on the north syde,
With the water of Mersee / theyr landes to dyuyde.

29

Of the foresayd ryuer / and water of Mersee
The kynge of Mercyens / taketh his name,
As moost sure dyuydent / to be had in memorye,
Mesurynge and metynge / the bondes with great fame
Of Mersee and Northumberlande / kynges of the same,
Bitwene chesshyr & lancashyr theyr kingdomes, certayne,
As auncyent Cronycles descryben it full playne.

30

The sayd myghty kyngdome / of Mercyens dyd holde
Many noble Cytees / with townes and burghes royall,
Whiche Penda optayned / enlarged manyfolde;
16

As Chester / Stafford / Lytchefelde / Couentre memorall,
Lyncolne and Huntyngdon / Northampton withall,
Leycester and Derby / Cambrydge and Oxonforde,
Worchester and Brystowe / with other mo, & Herforde.

31

Many royall ryuers / were conteyned in the same,
With sundry kyndes of fysshes / swete and delycyous—
It were tedyous to shewe / of them the dyuers name
In ryuers and in pooles / swymmynge full plentuous;
Also forestes / parkes / chases large and beauteous,
And all beestes of venery / pleasaunt for a kynge
To cours at lyberte / be founde there pasturynge.

32

Also this royall realme / holdeth, as we fynde,
Habundaunce of fruytes / plesaunt and profytable,
Great plente of cornes / and graynes of euery kynde;
With hylles / valeys / pastures / comly and delectable;
The soyle and glebe / is set plentuous and commendable.
In all pleasaunt propurtes / no part of all this lande
May be compared / to this foresayd Merselande.

33

The people of Mercyens / the trouthe yf we dare saye,
Lordes / barons / knyghtes / with all the comunete,
In musture and in batayle / euer the pryce haue they
The kynges grace to serue / moost valyaunt in artylere,
In all actes Marcyall / euer hauynge the vyctorye,
With herte / mynde and harneys / redy day and nyght
Theyr enemyes to subdue / by power, mayne & myght.

34

If they be well ordred / vnder a sure capytayne
And set to suche busynesse / theyr honour to auaunce,
The tryumph they optayne— / knowen it is certayne
In Englande and Scotlande / & in the realme of Fraunce;
Fewe of them haue countred / by manhode and valeaunce
Great nombre of enemyes / with knyghthode & polycy,
We meane them moost specyall / in the Weest-party.
17

35

Many other commodytes / pleasures and proprytes
This sayd realme / holdeth of olde antyquyte,
In royaltes and lordshyppes / landes and lybertes,
Honourably dylated / in worshyp and polyce,
Flourynge in wysedome / honours / and chyualre:
Veryfyed by kynge Offa / moost myghty and excellent,
Proued in his actes / by playne experyment.

36

This Offa subdued / in hystory as is founde,
The kynge[s] of Westsaxons / Northumberlande & Kent,
Droue Brytons to wales / out of this lande,
And made a depe dytche / for a sure dyuydent
Bytwene Englande and Wales / & to this day presente
Is called dytche Offa / so that no Bryton
On payne of punysshement / shulde entre this regyon.

37

Kynge Offa translated / as sayth Polycronycon,
By myghty power / the see of Canterbury
Vnto Lychefelde chyrche / with famous oblacyon,
For euer to contynu / confyrmed by auctoryte;
Also he founded / saynt Albans monasterye;
Fyrst of deuocyon / to Rome gaue Peter pens.
Thus royall somtyme / was the realme of Mercyens.

A descrypcyon of the Geanalogy of saynt Werburge, and how she descended of foure kynges of this lande / & of the royall blode of Fraunce. [Ca.iii.]

Regnum Merc'. ex parte patris.

38

This noble prynces / the doughter of Syon,
The floure of vertu / and vyrgyn gloryous,
Blessed saynt Werburge / full of deuocyon,
Descended by auncetry / and tytle famous
18

Of foure myghty kynges / noble and vyctoryous,
Reynynge in this lande / by true successyon,
As her lyfe hystoryall / maketh declaracyon.

39

The yere of our lorde / frome the natyuyte
Fyue hundreth .xiiii. and also .iiii. score,
Whan Austyn was sende / frome saynt Gregorye
To conuert this regyon / vnto our sauyoure,
The noble kynge Cryda / than reygned with honoure
Vpon the mercyens / whiche kynge was father
Vnto kynge Wybba / and Quadriburge, his syster.

40

This Wybba gate Penda / kynge of mercyens;
Whiche Penda subdued / fyue kynges of this regyon,
Reygny[n]ge thyrty yere / in worshyp and reuerens,
Was grauntfather to Werburge / by lynyall successyon.
By his quene Kyneswith / had a noble generacyon,
Fyue valeant prynces / Peada, and kynge Wulfer /
Kynge Ethelred / saint Marceyl / saint marwalde in-fere;

41

And two holy doughters / blessed and vertuous:
Saynt Keneburge / and saynt Keneswyde the vyrgyn—
Whiche ladyes were buryed / full memorous
At peturborowe abbay / and now there lyen in shryne.
The sayd kynge Ethelrede / by sufferaunce deuyne
Had a prynce Cochede / whiche after reygned kynge,
That translated Werburge / the .x. yere of her buryenge.

42

Saynt Merwalde specyfyed / vncle to saint Werburge,
By his quene saint Ermenberge, a princes doughter of kent,
Gate .iii. holy vyrgyns / saint myldred, & saint mylburge,
Saynt Mylgyde the thyrde / of vertu equypolent;
With a sone Mereum / whiche frome the holy sacrament
Of baptym was taken / by myracle expresse
To the blys of heuen / to reygne there endelesse.
19

43

The seconde sone of Penda / we meane kynge Wulfere,
A noble valyant prynce / by lynyall dyscent
Reygnynge vpon the Mercyens with royalte & power,
Maryed saynt Ermenylde / þe kynges doughter of kent;
Where[by] throughe the grace of god omnypotent
He had fayre yssue / saynt Werburge / saynt Kenrede,
Saynt wulfade / saynt Ruffyn / in story as we rede.

Regnum Northumbrorum / ex parte matris.

44

The seconde realme of whom saynt Werburge dyd descende,
Was of saynt Edwyn / kynge of Northumberlande;
Whiche maryed Quadryburge / his ryghtes to defende,
Doughter of Cryda / kynge of Merslande.
Bytwene them descended / as we vnderstande,
Two comly prynces / the fyrst we call Eadfryde,
The seconde sone, in batayle slayne, was named Offryde.

45

Kyng Eadfryde gate Hereryc, yt was kynge of Deiram.
This Hereryc by Beorswyde, his quene fayre & fre,
Had saynt Hylde, the abbesse / saynt Bede sayth ye same,
Lady, also foundresse / of the abbay of Whytbye.
This sayd kynge Hereryc / had another lady,
The quene of eest-Englande / saynt Heryswith she hyght,
Mother to saynt Sexburge / & thre other ladies bryght.

46

This holy Sexburge / full of grace and goodnes,
Was maryed to Ercombert / a noble kynge of Kent.
Bytwyx them descended / a precyous ryches:
The blessyd Ermenylde / humble and pacyent;
Whiche for her vertue / was maryed full excellent
To Wulfer, kynge of Merciens / with great solempnyte,
And mother was to werburge / a swete floure of chastite.
20

Regnum Estanglorum / ex parte matris.

47

The thyrde noble kyngedome / of her parentage
Was the realme of eest-England / whylom in great degre.
Tytylus, kynge of the same / vyctoryous and sage,
Gate Redwald his fyrst sone / a chrysten prynce was he.
This Redwalde had .ii. sones / flourynge in chyualrye:
The fyrst was Kenuherus / a noble man of fame,
The seconde Eorpwaldus / called by his name.

48

This foresayd kynge Tytylus / had a seconde sone,
Called Egnicius / accepted as a martyre.
Whiche sayd Egnicius / by lynyall progressyon
Had .iii. noble prynces / that worthy euer were:
The fyrst was called Ethelwod / þe seconde Adelhere,
The thyrde was saynt Anna / a kynge moost vertuous
In batayle slayne vnryghtfully / now a martyr gloryous.

49

This forsayd kynge Anna / maryed, as we rede,
The holy prynces Hereswith / for loue and amyte.
They had a noble yssue / to encrease theyr mede:
The blessed Sexburge / saynt Audry of Elye,
Saynt Ethelburge the thyrd— / in Bryges now lyeth she—
Saynt Withburge the .iiii., ye martyr saynt Iurwyne,
And Aldulph, after kynge / whiche regned a longe tyme.

50

The lady saynt Sexburge / eldest of them all,
A gracyous matrone / endurynge all her lyfe,
Was maryed to Ercombert / þe kynge of Kent royall.
They brought fourth a progeny / noble to dyscryue:
The blessed Ermenylde / vertuous mayd and wyfe:
Whiche lady was mother / by grace of god almyght
Vnto blessed Werburge / our confort and our lyght.
21

Regnum Cancie et Francie / ex parte matris.

51

The .iiii. myghti kyngdome / of whom this royal princes
Saynt Werburge descended / was the realme of kent;
Where reygned fyrst Hengystus / by vyctory & prowes,
Whiche was the fourth man / by lygnage euydent
Procedynge fro Woden / a prynce full prepotent,
Of whom our progenytours / Angles / Iutes / & Saxons,
Lynyally succeded / kynges of dyuers nacyons.

52

This foresayd prynce Woden / as dyuers auctours sayne,
Was the .xv. fro Noe / by naturall progressyon,
Of his eldest sone Sem / descendynge playne,
In saxons tongue Geaf / after ryte and custome,
Not of the lygne of Iaphet / by theyr opynyon.
Retourne we to Hengyst / and to his successoures
And speke of theyr royalte / to please the audytoures.

53

Ermenrycus, kynge of kent / reygned with great power
The yere of our sauyoure / fyue hundreth fyue & thyrte,
Vnto whome Engystus was great-graundfather.
This sayd kynge Ermenryc / had yssue fayre and fre:
A doughter called Ricula / which maried was to sledde,
Of Estsex and Mydylsex / gouernoure and kynge;
Of whom a myghty kynred / by proces was comynge.

54

This Ermenryc gate Ethelbryct full vertuous,
Whiche kynge reygned in kent / the yere of our sauyour
Fyue hundreth fyue & fyfty / & baptysed was gracyous
By blessyd bysshop Austyn / of Englande called doctour;
He was fyrst crysten kynge / & pryncypall protectour
Of the fayth within this lande / and founder was also
Of dyuers holy places / and monasteryes both-tow.

55

This sayd kynge Ethelbryc / for the great habundaunce
Of ryches and honour / was maryed solemply
22

To the prynces Berta / the kynges doughter of Fraunce.
And of them proceded a vertuous progeny:
Eadburg & Ethelburg saintes— / whiche Ethelburg, truly,
By Edwyne, kyng of North / had .iiii. princes honorable,
And .iii. holy doughters / gracyous and commendable.

56

Also kynge Ethelbryct / had to his successoure
Kynge Eadbalde / in Kent reygnynge a longe space;
He maryed lady Emma / of fraunce the chosen floure,
And by her had yssue / saynt Enswyde full of grace,
Also prynce Ermenred, his seconde sone / whiche wace
Maryed to quene Oslaua: / of them dyd procede
Two holy martyrs / Ethelbryct and Etheldrede.

57

This prynce Ermenred / had .iiii. ladyes bryght,
Lyke the .iiii. floodes of Paradyse / shynynge in vertu:
The eldest of the systers / saynt Ermenberge hyght,
The seconde saynt Ermenburge / the spouses of Ihesu,
The thyrde saynt Adeldryde / all vyces dyd subdu,
The .iiii. saynt Ermengyde / sayth theyr lyues hystoryall;
Thre of them holy vyrgyns / the fourth matrone we call.

58

This foresayd Eadbalde / a souerayne myghty kynge,
By Emma of Fraunce / had to his enherytoure
The noble kynge Ercumbert / full gracyous in lyuynge;
Whiche maryed Sexburge / with worshyp & honoure,
The kynges doughter of eest-England specyfyed afore.
This prynce loued vertue / prayer and deuocyon,
Commaundynge all his realme / to kepe þe fast of Lenton.

59

Ercombert .xxx. yere / regnynge in his regaly
Had a noble progeny / in grace and all goodnes:
His prynce hyght Egbryct / his seconde sone Lothary;
Whiche prynce reygned but ten yere / kynge expresse,
Lothary succeded hym / raynynge .xii. yeres doubtlesse.
23

Also he had two doughters / saynt Ermenylde þe quene,
The other hyght saynt Erkengode / a moynes serene.

60

This lady Ermenylde / was maryed royally
To the aforesayd Vulfer / kynge of Mercyens;
Bytwene them descended / full gracyously
A noble Margaryte / of hye magnyfycens,
A roose of Paradyse / full of prehemynens:
Moost blessed Werburge / the gemme of holynes,
Our synguler suffrage / and sterre of our clerenes.

A descrypcyon of the actes & chyualry of kynge Penda, graundfather to saynt Werburge / & of his noble and vertuous yssue and progenye. Ca. .iiii.

61

The yere of grace .vi. C. syxe and twenty
The foresayd prynce Penda / began for to reygne,
The tenth man fro Woden / a prynce in Saxony;
Sone and heyre to Wybbe / sayth myne auctour playne.
Fyfty yeres of aege / that tyme he was, certayne,
Whan he was fyrst crowned / kynge of Mercyens;
Thyrty yeres he reygned / with great reuerens.

62

Fyue kynges in batayle / this Penda dyd subdue:
Saintes Edwyn & Oswald / kinges of Northumberlande,
With Sygebert / Egnycius / and Anna full of vertu,
Thre noble kynges / regnynge in eest-Englande,
With helpe of Brytones / by Bede we vnderstande;
Dylated his regyon / with worshyp and honoures,
Moche more than dyd / any of his predecessoures.

63

He maryed Keneswith / a lady fayre and bryght,
And by her had yssue / a goodly generacyon:
Peada his prynce / Vulfer a noble knyght,
24

Saynt Ethelred / and Merwalde full of deuocyon,
Also saynt Mersellyn / of holy conuersacyon,
Saynt Keneburge / also saynt Keneswyde,
Auntes to saynt Werburge / vpon the fathers syde.

64

Thre of his chyldren / as we vnderstande,
Prynce Peada / Kyneburge / and Ethelrede,
He maryed with Oswy / Kynge of Northumberlande,
To .iii. of his yssue / for loue and for mede.
Vulfer and Merwalde / the story sayth in dede,
Were maryed vnto / the royall blode of Kent:
To Ermenylde and Domneue / two ladyes excellent.

65

Soone after by grace / the myddyll parte of Mercyens
Vnder prynce Peada / were baptysed euery-chone;
Whiche Peada maryed / Elflede with reuerens,
Doughter vnto Oswy / kynge of the North regyon.
Penda therto graunted / without contradyccyon,
Vnder a fre lycence / his people were at lyberte
Within all his regyon / baptysed for to be.

66

Also prynce Alfryde / sone to kynge Oswy,
Maryed saynt Keneburge / syster to prynce Peada.
Whiche sayd Peada / brought from the north party
Foure holy preestes / Ced / Beccy / and Adda,
To preche to his people / the fourth was Duyna;
Whiche .iiii. selden seased / day / nyght nor tyme
To conuert the people / vnto chrystes doctryne.

67

Kynge Penda consented / as afore is sayd,
And permytted doctours / to preche in euery place
Thrughout his realme / and neuer it denayed,
To baptyse his subgectes / by fayth and ghostly grace;
He ayded them with socour / and helpe in that case
That wolde be conuerted / for theyr synguler mede,
As sayth myne auctour / the venerable Bede.
25

68

But by the temptacyon / of our ghostly enemy
This sayd kynge Penda / this vyctoryous knyght,
Of valyaunt men in armure raysed a great company
And to the North partyes went / purposynge to fyght
And cruelly to slee / by power / mayne / and myght
The foresayd kynge Oswy / as he afore had slayne
Say[n]t Oswalde, his brother / kynge and martyr playne.

69

Shortly was forgoten / the fauour of his affynyte
That fully was contracte / bytwene these kynges twayne
Ioyned at the maryages / of theyr chyldren thre,
Euer to haue endured / in loue by reason playne.
yet Oswy offered Penda / many ryche gyftes, certayne,
To auoyde his malyce / and for to kepe the peas;
Whiche Penda refused / replete with wyckednes.

70

Bytwene these .ii. kynges / was a stronge myghty batell,
Not ferre frome yorke / ny the flood of Wynwed,
In the regyon of Leedes / where by fortune cruell
Kynge Penda perysshed / & carefully was leed,
And .xxx. dukes with hym / were slayne and lefte deed.
The kynge Oswy offered gladly / with good entent
His yonge doughter Edelfled / to god omnypotent.

71

He set her for doctryne / to the abbesse saynt Hylde,
Lady of Strenyshalt— / now called Whytby—
And gaue .xii. possessyons / a monastery to buylde—
Whiche place is from yorke / myles thyrty.
He gaue great landes / to his sone-in-lawe, Peade.
But the thyrde yere after / this sayd prynce was slayne
By treason of his wyfe Elflede / for certayne.
26

How after dethe of Penda & his sone, prynce Peada, his seconde sone Vulfer / father to saynt Werburge, was electe to be kynge of all the Mercyens. Ca. v.

72

After that this Penda / of Mercyens kynge,
In batayle by kynge Oswy / cruelly was slayne,
And his prynce Peada / after hym thre yeres reygnynge
Was put vnto deth / by his quene, in certayne,
These people of Mercyens / rebelled sore agayne
The foresayd Oswy / kynge of Northumberlande,
And hym refused / as ye shall vnderstande.

73

All the sayd Mercyens / by a generall counsell
Fortyfyed themselfe / with power, myght and reason,
And crowned prynce Vulfer / as Bede doth vs tell,
with honour / worshyp / and great renowne,
Whiche prynce to kynge Penda / was the seconde sone;
This prynce was preserued / afore-tyme secretly
And saued by his subiectes / frome dethe and malady.

74

This valyaunt prynce / and redoubted knyght,
Kynge Vulfer thus crowned / with great prosperyte
Vpon the Mercyens regned / by tytle and myght—
Whiche realme was dyuyded / whylom in partes thre:
Fyrst in the West-marches / & in the South parte, truely,
The thyrde parte was nomynate / mydle-Englonde—
Ouer them all thre / he reygned, as is fonde.

75

This sayd kynge Vulfer / in honour famous,
Was deuoutely baptysed / with great solempnyte
By two holy bysshops / the blessed Finanus
And bysshop Ierumannus / saythe the hystorye;
The kynge made a vowe / of hye auctoryte
All temples of ydols / within his regyon
To destroy and chaunge / vnto chrysten relygyon.
27

76

This Vulfer was polytyke / replete with wysdom,
Vyctoryous in batayle / proued by his chyualry,
His enemyes oppressed / by manhode and reason,
Subdued his aduersaryes / and had the vyctory;
From his realme expelled / all cruell tyranny,
Conquered in batayle / at Ashdum ryght famous
The kynge of West-Saxons / called Kenwalcus.

77

Also he subdued / vnto his Empyre
The Ilande Vecta / called the yle of wyght:
And after that he had / of it his desyre,
He gaue the sayd yle / by tytle full ryght
To the kynge of eest-Englande / to enlarge his myght,
Vnder that condycyon / that he baptysed wolde be;
And was his godfather / of pure charyte.

78

In lykewyse as this prouynce / of Mercyens
Whylom was greatest realme / within Englande,
Many yeres contynuynge / in prehemynens,
Ryght so the spyrytualte— / well knowen and founde
How fyue bysshop-sees / within this sayd Merselande:
As at Chester / at Lychefelde / also at Worcester,
The fourth at Lyncolne / the fyfth at Dorchester.

79

Forthermore after dethe / of Ierumannus,
Bysshop of Lychfelde / Vulfer the sayd kynge
Desyred the archebysshop / and prymate Theodorus
To graunt them a bysshop / of holy lyuynge,
To gouerne the people / by spyrytuall techynge,
To shewe to his subiectes / the ensample of vertu
And to preche and teche / the fayth of Chryst Ihesu.

80

This holy archebyssop / and prymate Theodorus
Desyred saynt Cedda / of the kynge Oswy
For his perfeccyon / and lyuynge vertuous,
28

To be remoeued / to the prouy[n]ce of Mercy.
Kynge Vulfer was gladde / of his comynge, truly:
Ryght so were all / the people of his realme,
Thankynge therfore / the kynge of Ierusalem.

81

Kynge Vulfer graunted / to saynt Cedda the confessoure,
Than bysshop of Lychefelde / moche possessyon
To edyfy chyrches / vnto chrystes honoure;
But namely he gaue a certayne mansyon
In the prouynce of Lyndesy / ny vnto Lyncolne,
Suffycyent to suffyse / and well for to content
Fyfty seruauntes / of god, relygyous, obedyent.

82

This noble sayd prynce / and redoubted souerayne,
Flourynge in manheed / wysedome and polycy,
Excelled the peres / of this realme, certayne,
In person / fortytude / and proued chyualry;
Lyberall to his seruauntes / gentyll in company,
Gracyous to the poore / and a sure protectour,
A founder of chyrches / and a good benefactour.

A lytell descrypcyon of the noble maryage bytwene Kynge Vulfer & saynt Ermenylde, ye kynges doughter of Kent / & of the solempnyte done at þe same season. Ca. vi.

83

In meane whyle the kynge / mynded maryage,
By the sufferaunce of our lorde god omnypotent,
Issue to encrease / acordynge to his lygnage,
After hym to succede / kynge and presydent.
He mynded moost / the kynges doughter of Kent,
Prynces Ermenylde / nomynate she was;
A beautefull creature / replete with great grace.

84

Certaynly her father / was called Ercomberte,
As afore is specyfyed / the kynge of Kent,
Her mother Sexburge / humble in her herte;
29

Of whome Ermenylde / a lady excellent,
Lynyally descended / by tytle full auncyent;
Her graundfather Edbalde / kynge Ethelbryctes sone,
The fyrst crysten prynce / of Saxons nacyon.

85

Of foure myghty kyngdomes / she is descended:
From the royall blode of Fraunce / also of Kent
Vpon her fathers party / as afore is notyfyed;
And on her mothers syde / by lyne auncyent
Frome the eest-Englande / famous and excellent,
Also of Northumberlande / flourynge in honour,
Conuerted and baptysed / vnto our sauyour.

86

This sayd Ermenylde / this floure of vertue,
Was euer dysposed / from her natyuyte
Vnto the dyscyplyne / of our lorde Ihesu;
Enspyred with his grace / and benygnyte,
Refused this worlde / ryches and vanyte;
He vsed the maners / of sadde dysposycyon,
Passynge fragyll youth / and naturall reason.

87

Suche synguler confort / of vertuous doctryne
In her so dyd water / a pure perfyte plante,
Whiche dayly encreased / by sufferaunce deuyne,
Merueylously growynge / in her fresshe and varnaunt,
With dyuers proprytes / of grace exuberaunt,
As sobrynes / dyscrecyon / and mekenesse vyrgynall,
Obedyence / grauyte / and wysedome naturall.

88

Euery tree or plante / is proued euydent
Whyther good or euyll / by experyence full sure,
By the budde and fruyte / and pleasaunt descent;
A swete tree bryngeth forth / by cours of nature
Swete fruyte and delycyous / in tast and verdure:
Ryght so Ercombert / by his quene moost mylde
Brought gracyously forth / the swete Ermenylde.
30

89

She folowed her father / in worshyp and honoure,
At her mother Sexburge / she toke imytacyon
To lyue in clennes; / presentynge in behauyour
Her father in power / her mother in relygyon.
Humble in herte / hauynge compassyon,
Pyteous and lyberall / where was necessyte,
Ioyfull to obserue / the dedes of charyte.

90

Forther of her lyfe / to make declaracyon,
As the true legende playnly dothe expresse,
Consyder the hystory / with good inspeccyon
Of blessed Sexburge / that noble pryncesse.
The sayd conuersacyon / and ghostly swetenesse
That is perceyued / in her holy mother,
The same perfeccyon / was in the other.

91

Neuerthelesse Ermenylde / escape ne myght
Worldely honours / and seculer dygnyte,
As requyred so noble a state of ryght,
Ryches / possessyon / namely her beaute.
But vnto maryage / compelled was she
Of her parentes / contrary to her entent;
To whome she was founde / euer obedyent.

92

This noble lady / by deuyne prouydens
Elected to her / a spouse commendable,
A valyaunt prynce / the kynges sone of Mercyens,
Called kynge Vulfer / famous and honorable,
Reygnynge in Mercelande / with ioy incomparable,
Excellynge many other / prynces of this regyon
In ryches / retynu / fortune / honour / and wysdome.

93

At this maryage / was moche solempnyte.
Her father Ercomberte / and her frendes all,
Tho prynces her vncles / Egbryct and Lothary,
31

The kynge of eest-Englande / Aldulph in specyall,
Dukes / erles / barons / and knyghtes in generall:
Whiche sayd company / were redy that same day
To worshyp the matrymony / in theyr beest aray.

94

This royall maryage / was solempnysed
With synguler pleasures / ryches and royalte,
Theyr frendes, cosyns / redy on euery syde
To do theyr deuoyre / and shewe humanyte,
Nothynge wantynge / euery thynge was plente,
Of delycate metes / and myghty wynes stronge,
With mynstrels / melody / and myrthes amonge.

95

Whan this fayre prynces / resplendent in vertue,
Came vnto Mercelande / in the order of matrymony,
Than grace with good gouernaunce / dyd vyce subdue,
Vertue was maystres / chefe ruler and lady;
The faythe of holy chyrche / dyd growe and multyply,
Relygyon encresed / honour and prosperyte,
In euery place pacyence / true loue and charyte.

96

At the solempne spousage / of this lady bryght
Kynge Vulfer promysed / on his fydelyte
Errours to correcke / by his wysdome and myght,
Clerely to expell / all sectes of ydolatrye
Frome his realme / and fulfyll by his auctoryte
The promyse truely made / at the fonte of baptyme:
The chyrche to conserue / and saue it from ruyne.

97

The myghty realme of Mercyens / also of Kent
That season were brought / bothe vnto vnyte,
And as one kyngedome / ruled full excellent,
Theyr subiectes and seruauntes / in tranquyllyte.
Kynge Vulfer by his quene / had a noble progenye:
Vulfade and Ruffyn / with prynce Kenrede,
And Werburge / of whome we purpose to procede.
32

A breue declaracyon of the holy lyfe and conuersacyon of saynt Werburge / vsed in her tender youthe / aboue the comyn cours of nature. Ca. vii.

98

This blessed lady / and royall prynces,
Descendynge of noble / and hye parentage,
Was doughter to Vulfer / the legende dothe rehers,
Kynge of Mercelande / and of famous lynage,
Her mother Ermenylde / ioyned to hym in maryage;
They dwelled somtyme / a lytell frome Stone
At a place in Stafforde-shyre / amyddes his regyon.

99

They had bytwene them / other chyldren thre:
Vulfade and Ruffyn / martyrs full gloryous,
Synt Kenrede his prynce / of greate auctoryte,
Tumylate at Rome / a confessour gracyous.
The lyues of these thre / we wyll not now dyscus,
But speke of the ghostly / and meke conuersacyon
Of blessed Werburge / now at this season.

100

For as declareth / the true Passyonary,
A boke wherin / her holy lyfe wryten is—
Whiche boke remayneth / in Chester monastery—
I purpose by helpe / of Ihesu, kynge of blys,
In any wyse to reherse / any sentence amys,
But folowe the legende / and true hystory,
After an humble style / and from it lytell vary.

101

This blessed Werburge / from her natyuyte
Folowynge the counseyll / of her noble parentes,
Dysposed her selfe / euer to humylyte,
Obedyent to them / with all reuerens,
Loth to dysplease / or make any offens
Or dysquyet any reasonable creature—
Thus was her maner / in youthe, be ye sure.
33

102

Sadde and demure / of her countenaunce,
Stable in gesture / proued in euery place,
Sobre of her wordes / all vertu to auaunce,
Humble / meke / and mylde / replete with grace.
Many vertuous maners / in her founde there was,
And dyuers gyftes naturall / to her appropryate,
As was conuenyent / for so noble a state.

103

And as she encreased / moore and more in age,
A newe plant of goodnes / in her dayly dyd sprynge,
Great grace and vertue / were set in her ymage.
Wherof her father / had moche merueylynge;
Her mother mused / of this ghostly thynge:
To beholde so yonge / and tender a may
From vertu to vertu / to procede euery day.

104

No merueyll it is / who-so taketh hede
In naturall thynges / the dyuers operacyon.
Dothe not a royall rose / from a brere procede,
Passynge the stocke / with pleasaunt dylectacyon?
The swete ryuer passeth / by due probacyon
His heed and fountayne: / ryght so dothe she
Transcende her parentes / with great benygnyte.

105

And tho her bretherne / delyted for to here
For theyr soule-helthe / ghostly exortacyon,
yet she them passed / manyfolde more clere
In loue of our lorde / and meke conuersacyon.
And lyke as Phebus / in his heuenly regyon
Passed other stretes / shynynge moost pure,
So dothe this vyrgyn / aboue the cours of nature.

106

Lordes / dukes / barons / within the kynges hall
Merueyled on her maners / and constaunte sobrynes;
The plente of wysedome / and dyscrecyon withall
34

In so tender age / they neuer knewe expresse;
Her mynde so perfyte / auoydynge all ylnes;
But they knewe well / it pretended by all reasone
Synguler grace and goodnes / to her comynge soone,

107

Affyrmynge on this wyse / yf she wolde contynu
With suche vertuous maner / in yeres of hye dyscrecyon,
That she sholde do honour / by the grace of Ihesu
Vnto all her kynrede / and synguler consolacyon,
An ensample of vertu / and humylyacyon,
Theyr conforte / theyr tresure / and sterre full bryght,
And chefe lumynary / shynynge day and nyght.

108

Fyrst in the mornynge / to chyrche she wolde go,
Folowynge her mother / the quene, euery day,
With her boke and bedes / and departe not them fro,
Here all deuyne seruyce / and her deuocyons say
And to our blessed sauyour / mekely on knees pray,
Dayly hym desyrynge / for his endeles grace and pyte
To kepe her frome synne / and preserue her in chastyte.

109

Where youthe is dysposed / of naturall mocyon
To dysportes and pleasures / full of vanyte,
This mayde was euer / of sadde dysposycyon,
Constaunt and dyscrete / styll and womanle,
Gladde in her soule / to here speke of chastyte,
Clennes and sobrenes / and ioyfull for to here
Ghostly exortacyons / to her herte moost dere.

How this yonge vyrgyn saynt Werburge was desyred of dukes & erles in maryage / and of the answere she gaue to them / in auoydynge worldly pleasures. Ca. viii.

110

As tender youthe passed / this blessed maydyn
Dayly encreased / more and more in vertue,
In ghostly scyence / and vertuous dyscyplyne,
35

Obseruynge the doctryne / of our lorde Ihesu,
Had his commaundymentes / in her herte full tru;
So that no creature / more perfyte myght be
In vertuous gyftes (by grace) than she.

111

She was replete / with gyftes naturall:
Her vysage moost pleasaunt / fayre and amyable,
Her goodly eyes / clerer than the crystall,
Her countenaunce comly / swete and commendable;
Her herte lyberall / her gesture fauourable.
She, lytell consyderynge / these gyftes transytory,
Set her felycyte / in chryst perpetually.

112

She hadde moche worshyp / welthe / and ryches,
Vestures / honoures / reuerence and royalte;
The ryches she dysposed / with great mekenesse
To the poore people / with great charyte.
But her sadnes / constaunce / and humylyte,
Vertue / gentylnes / so pacyent and colde,
Transcended all these other / a thousande folde.

113

The vertuous maners / and excellent fame
Of this holy vyrgyn / redoubted so ferre
In all this regyon / in praysynge her name,
That the nobles of this lande / wolde not dyfferre,
But with ryche apparell / and myghty power
Came for to seke her— / lyke as to Salomon
Quene Saba approched / to here of his wysedome.

114

So lyke-wyse some came / to her of her vertue,
Some of her sadnesse / and prudent dyscrecyon,
Some for her constaunce / so stable and true,
Some of her chastyte / and pregnaunt reason,
Some for her beaute / and famous wysedome;
And some, that were borne / of kynges lygnage,
Desyred yf they myght / haue her in maryage.
36

115

In beaute amyable / she was equall to Rachell,
Comparable to Sara / in fyrme fidelyte,
In sadnes and wysedom / lyke to Abygaell:
Replete as Delbora / with grace of prophecy,
Equyualent to Ruth / she was in humylyte,
In pulchrytude Rebecca / lyke Hester in lolynesse,
Lyke Iudyth in vertue / and proued holynesse.

116

The prynce of Westsaxons / a pere of this lande,
Wyllynge to haue her by way of maryage,
With humble reuerence / as we vnderstande,
Sayd to her these wordes / wysely and sage:
‘O souerayne lady / borne of hye lynage,
O beautefull creature / and imperyall prynces,
This is my full mynde / that I now rehers.

117

‘From my fathers realme / hyder I am come
Vnto our presence / yf ye be so content,
With worshyp and honour / and moche renowne,
In all honest maner / aperynge euydent;
My mynde is on you set / with loue feruent,
To haue you in maryage / all other to forsake,
If it be your pleasure / thus me for to take.

118

‘ye shalbe asured / a quene for to be,
ye shall haue ryches / worshyp / and honour,
Royall ryche appareyll / and eke the sufferaynte,
Precyous stones in golde / worthy a kynges tresour,
Landes / rentes / and lybertees / all at your pleasur,
Seruauntes euery houre / your byddynge for to do,
With ladyes in your chambre / to wayte on you also.’

119

With these kynde wordes / the vyrgyn abasshed sore
And with mylde countenaunce / answered hym agayne
The playnes of her mynde / to rest for euermore,
37

Sayenge: ‘o noble prynce / I thanke you now, certayne,
For youre gentyll offer / shewed to me so playne,
ye be well worthy / for your regalyte
To haue a better maryage / an hundreth folde than me.

120

‘But now I shewe you / playnly my true mynde:
My purpose was neuer / maryed for to be;
A lorde I haue chosen / redemer of mankynde,
Ihesu, the seconde persone in trynyte,
To be my spouse / to Whome my vyrgynyte
I haue depely vowed / endurynge all my lyfe,
His seruaunt to be / true spouses and wyfe.

121

‘Therfore, noble prynce / hertfully I you pray,
Tempte me no forther / after suche condycyon,
Whiche am so stedfast / and wyll be nyght and day
Neuer for to chaunge / nor make alteracyon.
Take ye this answere / for a sure conclusyon:
The promyse I haue made / and vowe of chastyte
Endurynge my lyfe / shall neuer broken be.’

122

Dyuers other astates / came her for to assayle,
Made instaunt requestes / vnto this vyrgyn fre:
For all theyr busynesse / they myght not preuayle,
So constaunt, fyrme & stable / in herte & mynde was she:
A mountayne or hyll / soner, leue ye me,
Myght be remoeued / agaynst the course of nature
Than she for to graunte / to suche worldly pleasure.

123

She well consydered / the texte of holy scrypture:
‘Who byleueth her chast / for the loue of Ihesu,
The temple of god / they be clypped sure
And shalbe rewarded / for that noble vertu
An hundreth folde (by grace), vyces to subdu,
And heuen for to haue / at theyr departynge’—
Whiche she remembred wysely / aboue all thynge.
38

How þe false Werbode desyred kynge Vulfer to haue Werburge, his doughter, in maryage. And how ye kynge graunted therto. Ca. ix.

124

As afore is sayd / whan Penda the kynge
By saynt Oswy kynge / at Leedes was slayne
And Vulfer his sone / the fourth yere folowynge
Was baptysed and crowned / By bysshop Fynane,
A solempne voue he made / faythfull and certayne,
All temples of ydolles / in his realme to destroy
And chaunge them to chyrches / and newe edyfy.

125

The same he promysed / as he was true knyght
Whan that he maryed / blessed Ermenylde,
Dredynge sore the iustyce / of god almyght
For his fathers demerytes / vnreconsyled
On hym to fall sodeynly / and so be begyled;
Promysynge a-mendes / at his conuersyon
Vnto holy chyrche / with humble deuocyon.

126

Whiche kynge Vulfer / as was the more pyte,
By the wycked counseyll / of a fals knyght
Called Werbode / ranne soone in apostasy,
For a lytell whyle / wantynge perfyte lyght;
The bryghtnes of the day / was tourned to nyght
Whan he gaue credence / that creature vnto,
Prolongynge the actes / he promysed to do.

127

Vnder kynge Vulfer / chefe stewarde of his hall
Was this false Werbode / ruler of euery porte.
Whome the lady Venus / brought vnto thrall,
Persed and wounded / so greuously his harte
Enflammed with loue / and with her fyry darte,
Plonget with sorowe / syghynge day and nyght:
The beaute of Werburge / moeued so his syght.
39

128

The blynde goddes Cupyde / vexed so sore his mynde
With interyor loue / and sensuall desyre
Of worldely affeccyon / that reste coude he none fynde;
His spyryte was troubled / he brenned as dothe the fyre.
Vpon this holy vyrgyn / his loue was so entyre,
To haue her in maryage / was all his intent,
That euery houre was a moneth / after his iudgement.

129

Prouyded in his mynde / how that he well myght
Enforce hym wysely / with boldynesse and polycye
To shewe his full entent / in maner good and ryght,
No dyspleasure taken / vpon his lordes partye:
By this ymagynacyon / he fell vpon his knee
Afore his lorde and kynge / desyrynge a petycyon:
His mynde to declare / with fully grace of pardon.

130

‘Excellent prynce,’ he sayd / ‘and moost worthy kynge,
That reygnes now within the realme of Englande,
Flourynge in chyualry / in honour encreasynge,
Transcendynge other prynces / of this forsayd lande!
My full intencyon / now ye shall vnderstande,
Requyrynge your grace / in this poore cyrcumstaunce
At my petycyon / to take no greuaunce.

131

‘My synguler good lorde / hertfully I you pray
With instaunte request / and humble supplycacyon:
Graunte me your doughter Werburge / as ye maye,
To haue her in maryage / auoydynge all treason.
If your grace deny / this present petycyon,
Dethe me behoues / full soone and hastely:
My loue is so feruent / there is no remedy.’

132

‘Stande vp, Werbode’ / kynge Vulfer than sayd,
‘Our chyfe champyon / in all our chyualry!
your humble desyre / shall not be denayd
40

Of Werburge, our doughter / now consent wyll we,
If ye may optayne / her wyll and mynde, truele,
Her mothers also / vnder that condycyon
We graunt her to you / at your meke suggestyon.’

133

Of this gracyous answere / a gladde man he was;
Reioysynge in his herte / began to conspyre,
Castynge in his mynde / craftely by compas
How he myght optayne / to the hye empyre
And reygne after Vulfer / at his owne desyre.
But, ‘tho man prepose / god dysposed all’;
‘Who clymbeth to hye / often hath a fall.’

How the quene saynt Ermenylde wolde not consente therto / & how her bretherne saynt Wulfade and Ruffyn were agaynst the sayd maryage. Ca. x.

134

Of this busynesse / whan the quene had knowlege,
Namely of Werebode / the greuous presumpcyon,
How he had moeued / thrught his wycked rage
The kynge in suche causes / by synguler petycyon,
And how the kynge consented / to his supplycacyon:
She was sore greued / at this prowde crafty knyght,
Called hym in presence / and sayd these wordes ryght:

135

‘Thou wycked tyraunt / and vnkynde creature,
Folowynge thyne appetyte / and sensualyte,
Thou cruell pagane / presumynge at thy pleasure,
Blynded with ygnoraunce / and infydelyte,
Who gaue the lycence / and suche auctoryte
Our doughter Werburge / to desyre of the kynge,
Without our counseyll / therto consentynge?

136

‘Consyder ryght well / thy kynred and pedegre:
It is well knowen / thou arte comen of nought,
Nother of duke / erle / lorde / by auncetre,
41

But of vylayne people / yf it be well sought;
Agaynst our honour / now that thou hase wrought,
Whiche consequently / shall be to thy payne—
For all thy labour / is spende in vayne.

137

‘Thou knowes of a certayne / refused she hase
Many a ryche maryage / within this londe,
A thousande tymes better / than euer thou wase,
Is now orels shalbe / by any maner fonde.
Our doughter to the / shall neuer be bonde,
Nor suche a caytyfe / shall haue no powere
With kynges blode royall / to approche it nere.

138

‘Vnder my souerayne lorde / and me also
An offycer thou arte / and of great royalte
To be a true seruaunte. / now thou arte our foo,
Tryed / proued / founde fals / in eche degre.
Thou hase well deserued / to be hanged on a tre
For thy mysdede / thou shall soone repent
Thy hye presumpcyon / proude and dysobedyent.

139

‘As for our doughter / and dere derlynge,
By the grace of god / and our aduysement
Soone shalbe maryed / to the moost myghty kynge
That euer was borne / and in this erth lent,
We meane our sauyour / lorde omnypotent;
Wherfore thy wretchydnes / wyll vpon the lyght.
Thou taynted traytour / out of our syght!’

140

With that saynt Werburge / came into presence,
Afore her mother / and all the company,
Doynge her duty / with all due reuerenc[e];
Folowynge her doctryne / full sapyently,
With lycence optayned / spake euydently,
After suche maner / that all the audyence
Reioysed to here / her lusty eloquence.
42

141

‘O souerayne lady / and kynges doughter dere,
My dere mother / ouer all thynge transytory,
O gracyous prynces / and quene to kynge Vulfere,
To your ghostly counseyll / do me euer apply:
As I haue promysed / ryght euydently
To the kynge of kynges / and lorde celestyall,
I wyll obserue / endurynge this lyfe mortall.

142

‘And thou false Werbode / folowynge sensualyte,
I meruayle greatly / thy hye presumpcyon
To moeue our father / with suche audacyte,
Knowynge my mynde / set on relygyon.
yet for thy soule-helthe / accepte this lesson:
Aske mercy and grace / of my spouse eternall,
Lest vengeaunce sodeynly / vpon the do fall.’

143

Wherwith her bretherne / Vulfade and Ruffyn,
Two noble prynces / manfull, sadde and wyse;
Sore vexed with peyne / theyr hertes were within
At this false stewarde / whiche can so deuyse
Agayne theyr honour / to do suche preiudyse
As to attempte theyr father the kynge
In so great a mater / they not consentynge:

144

They called Werebode / afore them all,
Sayenge: ‘thou caytyfe / who gaue the lycence
To moeue this cause / so he and specyall
Touchynge a lady / of suche prehemynence,
A kynges doughter / of moche magnyfysence,
None comparable to hym / in all this regyon
In honour / royalte / power / and dyscrecyon?’

145

‘And as our mother sayd / to the byforne,
Loke well thy progeny / and all thy lynage;
A vyllayne orels wers / sothly thou was borne,
43

Now our dere syster / wolde haue in maryage,
As semynge for a prynce / of hye parentage;
Than for suche a carle / by a prouerbe auncyent
‘A lad to wedde a lady / is an inconuenyent.’

146

‘Therfore we charge the / vpon greuous peyne,
Moue no suche mater / nor speke of it no more!
For yf suche mocyon / come to vs agayne
Of hye presumpcyon / as is done afore,
Thou shalt repent / the cause and dede full sore.
Now we commaunde the / no forther to contryue,
But cease of suche busynesse / in peyne of thy lyue.’

How the false Werbode complayned vpon Vulfade and Ruffyn to kynge Vulfare by malyce and enuy / and was the cause of theyr dethe. Ca. xi.

147

This wycked Werebode / the bedyll of Belyall,
The minister of myschef / & sergeaunt of sathanas,
Consyderynge he was / despysed of them all
And sore rebuked / for his outragyous trespas,
He brenned in enuy / as a man without grace,
Cast in his mynde / how he myght wroken be
Vpon her bretherne / by some subtylte.

148

Euer from that tyme / he lay in wayte,
Sekynge occasyons / on them to complayne;
Dayly ymagyned / with subtyll deceyte
Them to subdue / and cause to be slayne,
Attendynge oportunyte / to take them in a trayne,
By the false entysement / of his mayster Belyall
Prompte to all myschefe / as dyscyple naturall.

149

In fauour of his prynce / by crafte he hym brought
(As now is in custome)—with false flatery
44

Some please theyr mayster / and that is ryght nought;
So dyd this Werebode / by subtyll polycy:
His vengeable mynde / was hymselfe to magnyfy
And vtterly to lose / these prynces twayne
Or destroye hym-selfe / by mysfortune playne.

150

Lyke as Archythofell / chefe counselour to absalon,
Sundry tymes moeued hym / vnto varyaunce,
And with kynge Assuerus / in fauour was Amon
Counseylynge hym euer / vnto great myschaunce:
In lyke cause Werbode / moeued to vengeaunce
Was chefe counseler / to Vulfer the kynge;
Whiche brought hym-selfe to shame / and euyll endynge.

151

The elder prynce, Vulfade / in his dysporte
Vsed haukynge, huntynge / for a past-tyme;
But vnto huntynge namely / was his resorte
Euery day in the morowe / longe afore pryme.
And as it fortuned / vpon a tyme,
A myghty harte reysed was / coursed a longe space;
Whome Vulfade pursued / with pleasure and solace.

152

This harte sore strayned / ranne for his socour,
As all deer done / of theyr propryte,
To a well with water / after his great labour
Hym to reconforte / and the more fressher be,
Wherby saynt Cead / had his oratorye.
The wylde harte there lay / full secrete and styll
And suffered this holy man / to do all his wyll.

153

This blessed bysshop, moeued with pyte,
Couered this sayd harte / with bowes and leues also,
Put a small corde / aboute his necke, trule,
And after commaunded hym spedly to go
To the wylde woodes / whens he came fro,
45

His pasture to seke. / for saynt Cead knewe truly
It was a sygne folowynge / of some great mysery.

154

(As Bede wytnesseth) this holy confessour
Was bysshop of Lychefelde / and Couentre;
Whiche for the loue of our sauyour
In wyldernesse dwelled / all solytarye,
Contented with fruytes / of the wylde tree,
With rootes / herbes / water / for his sustentacyon,
Endurynge penaunce / with due contemplacyon.

155

This venerable prynce / ensuynge this great harte
Approched to his cell / with great dylygence,
Tenderly requyrynge / where and in what parte
This harte escaped / so ferre out of presence.
This holy man answered / with all reuerence:
‘Beestes / byrdes / fowles / I kepe none at all,
But I knowe the instructour / of thy helthe eternall.

156

‘By this brute beest / thou shall perceyue well
The sacramentes of holy chyrche euerychone,
To encrese thy byleue / by our ghostly counsell,
And so to be baptysed / and haue remyssyon:
By dyuers brute beestes / for mannes saluacyon
Our lorde hath shewed / secretes mystycall
To his electe persones / by grace supernall.

157

‘To Noe came conforte / after the great deluge
By a douue / bryngynge a braunche of Olyue;
To the prophet Hely / a rauen dyd refuge,
Brought hym his sustenaunce / and saued his lyue;
Vnto saynt Eustach / full memoratyue
Our lorde appered / in a hartes lykenes,
To whome he obeyed / gladly with mekenes.’

158

Of whiche examples / prynce Vulfade gladde was,
46

Thankynge god and saynt Cead / that he thyder come,
And sayd: ‘holy father / fulfylled with grace,
If ye can supply / my instaunte petycyon
That the sayd harte / myght retourne hyder soone
Whiche is now in wyldernesse / vnto our presence,
Than to your doctryne / I wyll gyue fully credence.’

159

Saynt Cead vnto prayer / deuoutely went:
And the wylde harte / frome the wood came hastely
With the corde in his necke / apperynge euydent,
And in theyr presence / stode full ryght soberly.
‘My sone,’ than he sayd / ‘byleue than stedfastly.
Vnderstande ye may / all thynge possyble is
To a faythfull persone / that perfytely byleuys.’

160

Vulfade, conforted / and in the fayth probate,
Fell downe to his fete / with humble deuocyon,
Desyrynge baptym / to be regenerate
Vnto our sauyour / for his soules saluacyon.
Saynt Cead blessed / the well that season
And baptysed this prynce / in name of the trynyte,
Was preest and godfather / for want of companye.

161

This chrysten prynce / taryed with hym all nyght
In fastynge / prayer / and medytacyon,
And was refresshed / naturally in syght
With bodyly and ghostly sustentacyon;
The next day receyued / the holy communyon,
With lycence departed / to his father agayne;
The harte to the forest / recoursed, certayne.

162

The thyrde day after / his brother Ruffyn,
Folowynge the same harte / by deuyne prouydence,
Was well instructed / in ghostly doctryne,
Baptysed by saynt Cead / & communed with reuerence,
And, as it fortuned / by playne experyence,
47

Of all the proces done / to the elder brother
All thynge dyd happe / ryght so to the other.

163

Afore this season / chrystes fayth moost gracyous
Thrugh this lande / was preched in eue[r]y place
By bysshop Fynane / and Ierumannus—
Whiche Ieruman of eest-Englande / fyrst byssop was,
And with saynt Ermenylde / came hyder by grace;
yet fully conuerted / was not Mersee regyon
Clene frome ydolatry / vnto this season.

164

These forsayd prynces / conuerted newly
By blessed Cead / to chrysten relygyon,
Dayly to hym resorted / for counseyll ghostly,
To encreace in vertue / and holy perfeccyon;
With lycence pretended / they wolde togyder come
Vnto his oratory / from the kynges hall,
Vnder colour of Huntynge / as they dyd it call.

165

And as it is wryten / in holy scrypture
‘Who-so is a sure frende / loueth stedfastly,
And who is enemy / putteth dylygent cure
Myschefe to accomplysshe / moost studyously:’
The false Werebode, suspectynge / euydently
The newe conuersyon / of these prynces twayne,
Prepared hym craftely / to take them in a trayne.

166

He watched on them / secretely euery day,
To knowe theyr resorte / and vnto what place,
Lyke as a hounde folowynge / these prynces to bytray,
Or a dogge dothe a dere / by sent of the chas.
Whan he had perceyued / how all thynge was,
He compased in mynde / by false inuencyon
To complayne to the kynge / for theyr destruccyon.

167

‘My synguler goode lorde / and moost pryncypall,’
48

Sayd this Werebode / the fals traytour,
‘Pleaseth your goodnes / and grace specyall
To my supplycacyon / to be a protectour.
ye haue two prynces / myghty in honour,
Whiche are my lordes / and euer shalbe,
If they wolde be true / to your soueraynte.

168

‘They haue refused— / the more pyte is,
your auncyent lawes / and sectes euerychone,
And with your lycence / haue done yet more amys:
For now they be subiecte / to a newe relygyon,
Vtterly refusynge / your decrees and olde custome,
Folowynge the counseyll / and mynde of a senyor,
Called bysshop Cead / theyr specyall auctor.

169

‘your strayte commaundymentes / they dayly despyce,
And purpose, I tell you / in secretenes,
Vnto your persone / to do moche preiudyce,
To murther or poyson you / shortly, doubtles,
And so for to reygne / and gouerne your ryches,
Bytwene them twayne / to dyuyde your lande,
By fals conspyracy / as ye shall vnderstande.’

170

With these false tales / and many other mo
The kynge was moeued / to malyce and yre,
By his compleccyon / as he was wont to do,
More cruell than a beest / as feruent as the fyre;
Depely affyrmynge / that dethe shulde be theyr hyre,
If he myght take them / in any place
They shulde be slayne / and suffer withouten grace.

171

In the morowe after / whan Phebus began to clere,
The kynge toke Werbode / with hym secretly,
To try out the truthe / and how it wolde appere,
Wheder his prynces / were gone to the oratory;
If it were so / he sende hym pryuely
49

To gyue them knowlege / of his entent,
For to remoeue / from his hasty Iudgment.

172

The father had pyte / vpon his chyldren naturall,
Wolde not haue slayne them / the sothe to say;
Wherfore he sende / the seruaunt of Belyall
To conuay them fro thens / some other way.
The kynge knewe hym-selfe / not able that day
To refrayne his yre / and cruell hastynesse,
Gyuen to hym of nature / in suche great dystresse.

173

This wycked Werebode / came to the oratory
And sawe these prynces / in great deuocyon;
Counceyled his message / by malyce and enuy,
Retourned to the kynge / hastely and soone,
Newly complaynynge / by fals ymagynacyon
A hundreth-folde worse / than at the fyrst tyme,
With new addycyons / to brynge them to ruyne.

174

And whan the kynge / approched nygh the cell,
Herynge the complayntes / of this fals knyght,
The chyldren perceyued / a voyce ryght well,
Cessed of theyr prayers / and came forth full ryght.
On whome whan Vulfere / had ones a syght,
He was sore moeued / as hote as the fyre
Agaynst his

P. her.

chyldren / that loued hym entyre.

175

But by the malyce / and wycked temptacyon
Of the deuyll / mannes olde mortall enemy,
And what by the false crafty suggestyon
Of Wycked Werebode / fulfylled with enuy,
And by his owne hastynesse / and cruell fury,
These prynces were slayne / Vulfade and Ruffyn—
Now gloryous martyrs / reygnynge in heuyn.

176

After whan kynge Vulfer / approched his castell
50

And vnneth was entred / into his hall,
Incontynently a spyryte / the false fende of hell,
Entred fals Werebode / afore the people all,
Inwardly hym vexed / with peynes contynuall,
That his armes and handes / he dyd horrybly tere—
Whiche sodayne vengeaunce / all the courte dyd fere.

177

He rored and yelled / lyke a wylde bull,
Shewed all the myschefe / malyce and enuy
Done agaynst the martyrs / with a mynde yrefull—
So sore constrayned / with peynes greuously.
The deuyll ceased not / his dolours to multyply
Tyll his fylthy soule / compelled sore was
For to expyre / for his hydeous trespas.

How kynge Vulfer was conuerted & toke great repentaunce for his offences. And by the counseyll of saynt Ceade was a deuoute man / and a good benefactour to holy chyrche / and a founder of dyuers holy places relygyous. Ca. xii.

178

Than Vulfer, consyderynge / with due dyscrecyon
His cruell hastynes / and furyous mynde,
How ferre he had / abused his reason,
Agaynst his chyldren / by nature and kynde:
He sore repented / in hystory as we fynde,
His greuous trespas / and homycyde vnnaturall,
In conscyence greued / for his synnes mortall;

179

Namely lamentynge / in soule his apostasy
After his baptyme / and ghostly conuersyon,
And for the departure / of his prynces truly
Contrary to ryght / kynde and all reason,
The losse of his fame / thrugh this regyon,
A dethe to his quene / and his louers all,
Greuous to his kynnesmen / and frendes naturall.
51

180

All these consydered / with due cyrcumstaunce,
He wayled and weped / sobbynge fullsore,
Plonged in sorowe / heuynes / and greuaunce,
Lamentynge his offence / a thousande tymes therfore;
His intollerable peyne / encreased more and more,
Wofully he went / to his bed by and by,
Supposynge some dethe / withouten any remedy.

181

Some of his louers / beynge there present
Gaue hym theyr counseyll / to hunte in the forest,
Some to dysportes / and pleasures euydent,
Some vnto melody / all thoughtes to degest.
But Ermenylde, his quene / whiche loued hym best,
Counseyled hym truly / to take contrycyon
And mendes make / by due satysfaccyon.

182

Of this ghostly counseyll / the kynge was very glad,
And in the morowe after / prepared besyly
With mekenesse to seke / blessed saynt Cead.
So whan the kynge came / to his oratory,
The bysshop was at masse / and ryght consequently
Fro heuen descended / so gloryous a lyght
That of the mystery / Vulfer had no syght.

183

Whan masse was ended / saynt Cead his vestures caste
Vpon the sonne-beame / by myracle there hangynge,
Supposynge on a forme / and made moche haste
To mete at the doore / mekely the sayd kynge,
Whiche laye there prostrate / penaunce desyrynge;
With reuerence hym eleuate / and gaue an exortacyon;
The kynge was agreable / for to do satysfaccyon.

184

The bysshop hym enioyned / in parte of penaunce
To destroye all ydolles / and sectes of ydolatry
In all his realme / and the temples of paganes
52

To translate to the honour / of god almyghty,
With preestes and clerkes / to pray and synge deuoutly,
Also peas and iustyce / to be kepte contynuall,
With the werkes of mercy / to be vsed in specyall.

185

Forther he enioyned hym / of his charyte
Monasteryes to make / of great perfeccyon,
Endowed with landes / possessed in lyberte,
Therin for to set / men of relygyon,
To pray to our lorde / for his saluacyon;
Whiche Vulfer promysed / to fulfyll gladle,
As soone as he myght / by possybylyte.

186

Than the foresayd kynge / and the holy confessour
Went to theyr prayers / in the oratory.
And as the kynge loked vp / to our sauyour,
The sayd sacrat vestures / he sawe euydently
Hangynge on the sonne-beame / full merueylously;
His gloues / his gyrdell / the kynge had vpon,
Whiche shortly to grounde / falled adowne.

187

Wherby he perceyued / the great holynesse
Of blessed saynt Cead / and interyor deuocyon,
Desyred his prayer / dayly with mekenesse
To almyghty god / for his remyssyon;
Frome thens departed / with his benedyccyon,
Ioyfull in his soule / to-warde his place,
Thankynge god mekely / of his great grace.

188

As the kynge promysed / to our sauyour,
Shortly he auoyded / all ydolatry,
Brenned theyr ydolles / correcked theyr errour,
Translated theyr temples / vnto god almyghty,
Founded monasteryes / of relygyon many,
Of men and women / gaue them possessyons,
Landes / rentes / ryches / to encrese deuocyons.
53

189

Namely he founded / a ryche monastery
For dethe of the prynces / in satysfaccyon
To the honour of god / and saynt Peter, truly,
Called Peterborowe abbay / in all this regyon;
Endowed it with rentes / lybertes / possessyon—
A place where many / relygyous persones be,
Seruynge day and nyght / our lorde with charyte.

190

Also there was founded / at Stone a pryore
In the honour of god / and the martyrs twayne,
Possessed with landes / rentes and lyberte,
Where deuoute chanons / ben inhabyte, certayne.
Myracles and sygnes / haue ben shewed there playne
To the laude and prayse / of god omnypotent
And of these holy martyrs / patrones there present.

Of the feruent desyre & great deuocyon yt saynt Werburge hadde to be relygyous / & of þe dayly supplycacyons she made to the kynge, her father, for the same. Ca. xiii.

191

As this myghty prynces / encreased in age,
So dayly encresed / her good condycyons,
That greatly enioyed / her honorable lynage
Consyderynge in her / suche vertuous dysposycyons;
In vygyls / prayers / and ghostly medytacyons
Set all her mynde / power / myght / and mayne,
To serue our sauyour / day and nyght, certayne.

192

She well consydered / with due dyscrecyon
Of this present lyfe / the great wretchydnesse,
How dredefull it is / full of varyacyon,
Deceuable / peryllous / and of no sykernesse;
The tyme vncertayne / to be knowen, doubtlesse;
For here is no cytee / nor sure dwellynge place,
All thynge is transytory / in short proces and space.
54

193

Wherfore this vyrgyn / gladde and benyuolent,
Folowynge the counseyll / of blessed Mathewe,
Was on of fyue vyrgyns / euer redy present,
Had her lampe replete / with oyle full of vertue,
Redy for to mete / her spouse, swete Ihesu,
With charytable werkes / in her soule contynuall—
Therfore she was taken / to his blys eternall.

194

She well consydered / the wordes of the gospell
‘Who refuses pleasures / and naturall generacyon
For the loue of Ihesu / rewarded shalbe well
With a hundreth-folde grace / here for theyr guerdon,
And after this lyfe / haue eterne fruycyon’:
Whiche she remembred / and euer fro that day
On her father wolde call / and mekely to hym say:

195

‘Reuerent myghty prynce / and lorde honorable,
Moost dere byloued father / my synguler helpe & socour,
My trust / tresure / and solace / to me moost amyable,
Instauntly I beseche you / for loue of our sauyoure
And of his mother mary / of vyrgyns the floure,
With all the company / that in heuen be,
My humble petycyon / now graunt it vnto me.

196

‘Well-byloued father / this is my fully mynde,
My instaunte desyre / and humble supplycacyon:
By the grace of god / maker of all mankynde,
And by your lysence / helpe / and tuycyon
I purpose to enter / into holy relygyon
And vtterly refuse / all pleasures transytory,
To be professed / at the house of Ely.’

197

‘O my dere doughter’ / sayd this noble kynge,
‘My pleasure / solace / and hope of my gladnesse,
Moost dere byloued / and my synguler swete derlynge,
55

I well consyder / your vertue and sadnesse,
your instaunt request / and humble gentylnesse,
And of your desyre / inwardly I am gladde;
But yet your mocyon / makes my herte full sadde.

198

‘All my ioye and conforte / now resteth in the,
Syth thy dere bretherne / from vs ben agone;
Thou arte the trusty treasure / to thy mother and me,
Our synguler solace / and sure consolacyon.
Wherfore, swete derlynge / as for my heyre alone
I wolde the mary / and a quene the make,
If thou wyll consent / and my counseyll take.

199

‘Consyder and beholde / thrugh all this lande,
Take the a maryage / at thyne owne pleasure,
A prynce moost valyaunt / moost noble to be founde:
And of helpe and ayde / I shall the assure,
With ryches / royalte / welthe / and tresure,
Clothes of golde / and royall ryche apparell
And all thynges necessary / as man can of tell.

200

‘Remembre also / how after course of kynde
Aege dothe sore greue / thy moder and me also.
Therfore naturall loue (swete chylde) dothe me bynde
To gyue the best counseyll / what thou shall do,
To honour and worshyp / how thou may come to:
Whiche great renowne / and hye astate, certayne,
To se the a quene / wyll make vs yonge agayne.

201

‘God ordeyned matrymony / fyrst in Paradyse
Bytwene man & woman / whan he the worlde dyd make,
That mankynde myght encrese / multyply, and ryse,
Eche persone at pleasure / a spouse for them to take;
Now ioyned by holy chyrche / all other to forsake,
The chylde of the father / to take his dyscyplyne,
And after that to teche / his yssue theyr doctryne.
56

202

‘Also man and beest / haue dysposycyon naturall
To brynge forth theyr lykenesse / by generacyon;
But man, hauynge reason / and fre wyll with-all,
As lawe requyreth / hath his procreacyon
Vnder true matrymony / by his owne eleccyon,
Orels to obserue / and lyue in pure vyrgynyte,
For the greater meryte / and rewarde of glorye.

203

‘And yf all maydens / shulde kepe theyr chastyte
As ye now do / how shulde the worlde encrese?
Swete louely creature / ryght ioyfull wolde I be
To kysse a chylde of thyne / hauynge thy lykenesse,
And se the also coronate / as a myghty pryncesse!
Enclyne, dere derlynge / thy mynde to myne entent,
And all these sayd honours / wyll folowe consequent.’

Of the meke answere saynt Werburge gaue to her father whan she was moeued to maryage. Ca. xiiii.

204

The holi mayd / whan she knewe her fathers mynde,
Her soule was replete / with woo & pensyuenesse,
And sore began to wepe / after cours of kynde—
The salte teeres dystylled / for payne and heuynesse
By her ruddy chekes shynynge / full fayre, doubtelesse,
Pyteous to beholde. / but whan the foresayd mayde
Ceased of her sorowe / thus to hym she sayde:

205

‘Moost beest byloued father / nexte to god almyght,
your kynde gentyll mocyon / wolde moeue inwardely
The mynde of any creature / to folowe you ryght,
Or any stony stomake / to relent and apply,
And resolue eche harde herte / to waylynge dolefully,
Consyderynge on euery parte / with good dyscrecyon
To accepte or refuse / this harde eleccyon.
57

206

‘Father, I haue ben to you / meke and obedyent
Euer syth I had / yeres of dyscrecyon,
Gladde to obserue / your hye commaundyment
With loue interyor / and humble intencyon—
And so wyll contynue / with lowly submyssyon,
In this present lyfe / whyle I do endure;
Of my loue and prayer / euer ye shalbe sure.

207

‘But, moost louely father / I pray you hertfully
Take no dysplesure / pardon what I shall say.
My soule / my herte / and mynde / is set stydfastly
To serue my lorde god / nyght and also day,
Neuer to be maryed / by no maner of way:
For sothly I haue vowed / my true vyrgynyte
Vnto Ihesu / the seconde persone in trynyte.

208

‘That is my spouse / and blessed sauyour,
For whose loue refused / in certaynte haue I
All worldely pleasures / welth / ryches and honour,
With all voyde busynesse / and cures transytory;
My loue on hym is sette / so sure and feruently,
That nothynge shall separate / my hert hym fro,
Sekenes nor helthe / pleasure / peyne / ne wo.

209

‘Also my full entent / was neuer otherwyse
Than to be handmayde / to my lorde Ihesu
And of my soule and body / to make hym sacryfyce,
For my ghostly welthe / all vyces to subdue.
He is my dere spouse / solace / helthe moost true,
On hym is all my herte / and hase ben set alway,
And euer shalbe / vnto my endynge day.

210

‘In this wretched worlde / we can not longe endure
And of this present lyfe / we are in no suerte;
As we haue deserued / so we shalbe sure
58

After this pylgrymage / rewarded for to be.
For mercy and grace / therfore mekely call we
Whyle we haue tyme and space— / for than it is to late
Whan dethe with his darte / sayth to vs chekemate.

211

‘Wherfore, dere father / I shewe you now agayne
All my hole herte / desyre and entent,
Whiche euer hath ben / and so shalbe, certayne,
For to be relygyous / chast / and obedyent,
Namely at Ely / for theyr vertue excellent.
Father, I requyre you / for chrystes loue and charyte,
My meke supplycacyon / now graunte it vnto me.’

212

The kynge well consydered / his doughters desyre,
Her constaunte true mynde / and pure deuocyon:
Graunted her petycyon / with synguler loue entyre,
Trustynge by her prayer / and dayly supplycacyon
Vnto heuen-blysse / the rather for to come.
Her mother Ermenylde / was gladde of this tydynge
And lauded full lowly / our lorde and heuen kynge.

How saynt Werburge was made a moynes after her desyre at the monastery of Ely vnder saynt Audry / lady and abbesse. Ca. xv.

213

Than the kynge remembred / with due cyrcumstaunce
The excellent vertue / sadnes / and grauyte
Of his dere doughter / and the perfyte constaunce,
Her humble petycyon / and pure vyrgynyte;
He thanked our lorde / with great humylyte
Of his infynyte grace / that so royall a floure
Frome hym descended / to his prayse and honoure.

214

He sende messages / in all goodly hast
With letters myssyue / thrugh his regyon,
Commaundynge his subiectes / they shulde full fast
59

By a day assygned / be redy euerychone
In theyr best maner / with hym for to gone
To brynge his doughter / to the hous of Ely,
There to be relygyous / after her desydery.

215

Whan the day was come / of theyr appoyntment,
The nobles of the realme / and lordes were redy
To attende on theyr souerayne / at his commaundyment.
Kynge Vulfer prepared / all thynge pleasauntly
And of his court / had chosen a noble company
In theyr best aray / royalte / and renowne,
To offer saynt werburge / to god and relygyon.

216

The kynge on his Iourney / rode forthe royally,
The quene hym folowed / as is the custome;
Werburge succeded them consequently;
The peeres and his counseyll / knewe well theyr rowme,
Dukes / erles / lordes / and many a worthy barowne,
Knyghtes / squyers / gentyls / of her kynred also,
With ladyes and gentylwomen / & seruauntes both-two.

217

Whan the kynge approched / the sayd monastery,
Saynt Audry, than abbesse / toke her holy couent
And mette the sayd kynge / and all his company
With solempne processyon / and gretynge benyuolent,
Praysynge our lorde god omnypotent
Whiche of his goodnes / to that congregacyon
Sende them a syster / of suche perfeccyon.

218

Wereburge requyred / by the order of charyte
Mekely on her knees / to enter relygyon.
Saynt Audry receyued / of her benygnyte
And graunted fre lycence / after her petycyon.
Gladde were also / the hole congregacyon
And sange (Te deum), with moche reuerence,
Magnyfyenge our lorde / of his prouydence.
60

219

She was receyued / with moche solempnyte
Into the holy order / after her entent,
To proue her sadnes / and humylyte
(As is the custome), and so be obedyent,
To lyue euer after / humble / chast / and contynent.
Than dyd theyr Ioye / merueylously encreas,
Consyderynge her pacyens / and perfyte holynes.

220

Her royall dyademe / and shynynge coronall
Was fyrst refuted / for loue of our sauyoure,
The poore vayle accepted / and the symple pall,
The royall ryche purpull / reiected that same houre,
With other clothes of golde / sylkes of great honoure;
She toke lowe appareyll / vestures that were blake—
All her plesaunt garmentes / she clerely dyd forsake.

221

Also she refused / her fathers realme and royalte,
All ryches / rentes / pleasures / possessyon,
With all worldely honoures / full of vanyte;
Lowly submyttynge her / vnder subieccyon,
Vertu to encrese / myndynge moost relygyon;
She refused yet more her owne proper wyll,
Put all to her abbesse / her order to fulfyll.

Of the great solempnyte kynge Vulfer made at the ghostly maryage of saynt Werburge his doughter / to al his louers / cosyns / and frendes. Ca. xvi.

222

Kynge Vulfer, her father / at this ghostly spousage
Prepared great tryumphes / and solempnyte,
Made a royall feest / as custome is of maryage,
Sende for his frendes / after good humanyte,
Kepte a noble housholde / shewed great lyberalyte
61

Bothe to ryche and poore / that to this feest wolde come—
No man was denyed / euery man was well-come.

223

Her vncles and auntes / were present there all:
Ethelred and Merwalde / and Mercelly also—
Thre blessed kynges / whome sayntes we do call;
Saint keneswyd / saint keneburg / theyr systers both-two,
And of her noble lygnage / many other mo
Were redy that season / with reuerence and honour,
At this noble tryumphe / to do all theyr deuour.

224

Tho kynges mette them / with theyr company:
Egbryct, kynge of kent / brother to the quene,
The seconde was Aldulphe / kynge of the eest party,
Brother to saynt Audry / wyfe and mayde serene,
With dyuers of theyr progeny / and nobles, as I wene;
Dukes / erles / barons / and lordes ferre and nere
In theyr best aray / were present all in-fere.

225

It were full tedyous / to make descrypcyon
Of the great tryumphes / and solempne royalte
Belongynge to the feest / the honour and prouysyon
By playne declaracyon / vpon euery partye;
But, the sothe to say / withouten ambyguyte,
All herbes and floures / fragraunt, fayre and swete
Were strawed in halles / and layd vnder theyr fete.

226

Clothes of golde and arras / were hanged in the hall,
Depaynted with pyctures / and hystoryes manyfolde,
Well wrought and craftely / with precyous stones all
Glyterynge as Phebus / and the beten golde
Lyke an erthly paradyse / pleasaunt to beholde.
As for the sayd moynes / was not them amonge
But prayenge in her cell / as done all nouyce yonge.

227

The story of Adam / there was goodly wrought
62

And of his wyfe Eue / bytwene them the serpent,
How they were deceyued / and to theyr peynes brought;
There was Cayn and Abell / offerynge theyr present,
The sacryfyce of Abell / accepte full euydent;
Tuball and Tubalcain / were purtrayed in that place,
The inuentours of musyke / and craftes by great grace.

228

Noe and his shyppe / was made there curyously,
Sendynge forthe a rauen / whiche neuer came agayne,
And how the douue retourned / with a braunche hastely,
A token of conforte and peace / to man, certayne;
Abraham there was / standynge vpon the mount playne
To offer in sacryfyce / Isaac, his dere sone,
And how the shepe for hym / was offered in oblacyon.

229

The twelue sones of Iacob / there were in purtrayture,
And how into Egypt / yonge Ioseph was solde,
There was inprysoned / by a false coniectour,
After in all Egypte / was ruler (as is tolde);
There was in pycture / Moyses wyse and bolde,
Our lorde apperynge / in busshe flammynge as fyre
And nothynge therof brent / lefe / tree / nor spyre.

230

The ten plages of Egypte / were well embost,
The chyldren of Israell / passynge the reed see,
Kynge Pharoo drowned / with all his proude hoost;
And how the two tables / at the mounte of Synaye
Were gyuen to Moyses / and how soone to ydolatry
The people were prone / and punysshed were therfore,
How Datan and Abyron / for pryde were lost full youre.

231

Duke Iosue was ioyned / after them in pycture,
Ledynge the Isrehelytes / to the lande of promyssyon,
And how the sayd lande / was dyuyded by mesure
To the people of god / by equall sundry porcyon;
The Iudges and bysshops / were there euerychone,
63

Theyr noble actes / and tryumphes Marcyall
Fresshly were browdred / in these clothes royall.

232

Nexte to hye borde-lorde / appered fayre and bryght
Kynge Saull, and Dauyd / and prudent Salomon,
Roboas succedynge / whiche soone lost his myght,
The good kynge Esechyas / and his generacyon;
And so to the Machabees / and dyuers other nacyon
All these sayd storyes / so rychely done and wrought,
Belongyng to kyng Vulfer / agayn yt tyme were brought.

233

But ouer the hye desse / in the pryncypall place,
Where the sayd thre kynges / sate crowned all,
The best hallynge hanged / as reason was:
Wherin were wrought / the .ix. ordres angelycall
Dyuyded in thre Ierarchyses / not cessynge to call
‘Sanctus / sanctus / sanctus / blessed be the trynyte,
Dominus deus sabaoth / thre persones in one deyte.’

234

Nexte in ordre suynge / sette in goodly purtrayture,
Was our blessed lady / floure of femynyte,
With the twelue apostles / echeone in his fygure,
And the foure euangelystes / wrought moost curyously,
Also the dyscyples / of chryst in theyr degre,
Prechynge and techynge / vnto euery nacyon
The faythtes of holy chyrche / for theyr saluacyon.

235

Martyrs than folowed / ryght manyfestly:
The holy innocentes / whome Herode had slayne,
Blessed saynt Stephan / the prothomartyr truly,
Saynt Laurence / saynt Vyncent / sufferynge great payne,
With many other mo / than here ben now, certayne;
Of whiche sayd martyrs / exsample we may take
Pacyence to obserue / in herte for chrystes sake.

236

Confessours approched / ryght conuenyent,
64

Fresshely enbrodred / in ryche tysshewe and fyne:
Saynt Nycholas, saynt Benedycte / and his couent,
Saynt Ierom / Basylyus / and saynt Augustyne,
Gregory the great doctour / Ambrose & saynt Martyne;
All these were sette / in goodly purtrayture—
Them to beholde / was a heuenly pleasure.

237

Vyrgyns them folowed / crowned with the lyly,
Amonge whome our lady / chefe presydent was;
Some crowned with rooses / for theyr great vyctory:
Saynt Katheryne / saynt Margarete / saynt Agathas,
Saynt Cycyly / saynt Agnes / and saynt Charytas,
Saynt Lucye / saynt Wenefryde / and saynt Apolyn;
All these were brothered / the clothes of golde within.

238

Vpon the other syde / of the hall sette were
Noble auncyent storyes / & how the stronge Sampson
Subdued his enemyes / by his myghty power;
Of Hector of Troy / slayne by fals treason,
Of noble Arthur / kynge of this regyon;
With many other mo / whiche it is to longe
Playnly to expresse / this tyme you amonge.

239

The tables were couered / with clothes of Dyaper,
Rychely enlarged / with syluer and with golde;
The cupborde with plate / shynynge fayre and clere.
Marshalles theyr offyces / fulfylled manyfolde.
Of myghty wyne plenty / bothe newe and olde,
All-maner kynde / of meetes delycate
(Whan grace was sayd) to them was preparate.

240

To this noble feest / there was suche ordynaunce,
That nothynge wanted / that goten myght be
On see and on lande / but there was habundaunce
Of all-maner pleasures / to be had for monye;
The bordes all charged / full of meet plente,
65

And dyuers subtyltes / prepared sothly were
With cordyall spyces / theyr ghestes for to chere.

241

The Ioyfull wordes / and swete communycacyon
Spoken at the table / it were harde to tell,
Eche man at lyberte / without interrupcyon,
Bothe sadnes and myrthes / also pryue counsell,
Some adulacyon / some the truthe dyd tell;
But the great astates / spake of theyr regyons,
Knyghtes of theyr chyualry / of craftes the comons.

242

Certayne, at eche cours / of seruyce in the hall
Trumpettes blewe vp / shalmes and claryons,
Shewynge theyr melody with / toynes musycall.
Dyuers other mynstrelles / in crafty proporcyons
Made swete concordaunce / and lusty dyuysyons—
An heuenly pleasure / suche armony to here,
Reioysynge the hertes / of the audyence full clere.

243

A synguler mynstrell / all other ferre passynge,
Toyned his instrument / in pleasaunte armony
And sange moost swetely / the company gladynge,
Of myghty conquerours / the famous vyctory,
Wherwith was rauysshed / theyr spyrytes and memory;
Specyally he sange / of the great Alexandere,
Of his tryumphes and honours / endurynge .xii. yere.

244

Solemply he songe / the state of the Romans,
Ruled vnder kynges / by polycy and wysedome,
Of theyr hye iustyce / and ryghtfull ordynauns
Dayly encreasynge / in worshyp and renowne,
Tyll Tarquyne þe proude kynge / with yt great confusyon
Oppressed dame Lucrece / the wyfe of Colatyne;
Kynges neuer reygned in Rome / syth that tyme.

245

Also how the Romayns / vnder thre dyctatours
66

Gouerned all regyons / of the worlde ryght wysely,
Tyll Iulyus Cesar / excellynge all conquerours,
Subdued Pompeius / and toke the hole monarchy
And the rule of Rome / to hym-selfe manfully;
But Cassius Brutus / the fals conspyratour,
Caused to be slayne / the sayd noble emperour.

246

After the sayd Iulyus / succeded his syster sone,
Called Octauyanus / in the imperyall see;
And by his precepte / was made descrypcyon
To euery regyon / lande / shyre / and cytee,
A trybute to pay / vnto his dygnyte:
That tyme was / vnyuersall peas and honour:
In whiche tyme was borne / our blessed sauyoure.

247

All these hystoryes / noble and auncyent
Reioysynge the audyence / he sange with pleasuer,
And many other mo / of the newe testament,
Pleasaunt and profytable / for theyr soules cure,
Whiche be omytted / now not put in vre.
The mynysters were redy / theyr offyce to fulfyll
To take vp the tables / at theyr lordes wyll.

248

Whan this noble feest / and great solempnyte,
Dayly endurynge / a longe tyme and space,
Was royally ended / with honour and royalte,
Eche kynge at other / lysence taken hace,
And so departed from thens / to theyr place;
Kynge Vulfer retourned / with worshyp and renowne
Frome the house of Ely / to his owne mansyon.
67

Of the holy professyon & ghostly conuersacyon saynt Werburge vsed at Ely in relygyon / vnder saynt Audry her abbesse and cosyn. Ca. xvii.

249

So whan this vyrgyn / the spouse of Ihesu,
Had fully contynued / in holy relygyon
With mekenesse / pacyens / and all vertu
Fully the yere / of her probacyon,
Than she made instaunce / for her professyon
Vnto saynt Audry / her lady and abbesse;
Whiche soone was graunted / with great gladnesse.

250

Ordynaunce they made / and great royalte,
Her frendes were called / agaynst that season;
She was professed / with great humylyte,
The obseruaunce done / with due deuocyon:
She made solempne vowe / of ghostly conuersacyon,
Mekely to obserue / obedyence and chastyte
Endurynge her lyfe / and wylfull pouerte.

251

By the exsample / of her perfeccyon
Many dyuers persones / of her noble lynage
Refused this worlde / and entred relygyon,
Renounsynge vayne pleasures / ryches and maryage,
Enclyned to vertue / for theyr ghostly auauntage,
As may be specyfyed / here after folowynge
Theyr names / theyr astate / and theyr good lyuynge.

252

Now this gloryous vyrgyn / after her desyre
Is ghostly maryed / to our lorde Ihesu,
Accordynge to her entent / and true loue entyre,
She dayly encresed / frome vertu to vertu,
With more strayter lyfe / vyces to subdu;
The longer she endured / in relygyon
The better she prepared / her herte to deuocyon.
68

253

And tho this vyrgyn / clerely dyd forsake
All ryches, honours / and pleasures worldly,
With all possessyons / for her lordes sake,
She thought than she reygned / moost lyke a lady,
Cause that she lyued / in chrystes seruyce dayly;
And certayne it is / holy scrypture recordynge,
‘Who serues well god / dothe reygne lyke a kynge.’

254

In prayer / penaunce / and / contemplacyon
Was all her busynesse / and study alway,
Compasynge by what maner of medytacyon
She myght best please / our lorde to his pay,
Offerynge her persone / a true sacryfyce euery day;
No labour her greued / loue was so feruent;
Her body vpon erthe / her soule in heuen lent.

255

Swete / comly creatures / ladyes euerychone,
Sekynge for pleasures / ryches and arayment,
Blynded by your beaute / and synguler affeccyon,
Consyder this vyrgyn / humble and pacyent:
A spectacle of vertue / euer obedyent;
Beholde how she hase / clerely layde away
Her royall ryche clothes / and is in meke aray.

256

your garmentes now be gay and gloryous,
Euery yere made / after a newe inuencyon,
Of sylke and veluet / costly and precyous,
Brothered full rychely / after the beest facyon,
Shynynge lyke angels / in your opynyon,
Where lesse wolde suffyse / and content as well
As all that great cost / folowynge wyse counsell.

257

A playne exsample / now ye may take
Of this myghty kynges doughter dere,
Whiche for the loue of god / dyd forsake
69

All suche vayne pleasures / and garmentes clere;
She gaue herselfe / to penaunce and prayere:
Wherfore, fayre ladyes / do way suche vanyte,
Prepare your-selfe / to vertue and humylyte!

258

Some of lowe byrthe / excellynge theyr degre
Done couet to haue / as royall ryche vesture,
Worldly honours / also the sufferaynte,
As they were ladyes / by lyne of nature:
Of dredefull mysery / they bere the fygure,
Prowde as a Pecocke / whelynge full bryght;
All is but vanyte / contentynge the syght.

259

O gloryous vyrgyn / replete with synguler grace,
Endowed with souerayne gyftes celestyall,
Refusynge voyde pleasures / whan thou had space,
And honours transytory / whiche hath brought in thrall
A thousande persones / in ruyne to fall;
A myrrour thou arte / of vyrgynall clennes,
Of true obedyence / and perfyte mekenes.

260

So Werburge professed / to her rule full ryght,
A redolent floure / all vertue to augment,
As Lucyfer shynynge / a clere lampe of lyght;
For whome her spouse / god sone omnypotent,
Shewed many myracles / to euery pacyent,
A sygne her loue was / supernaturall,
Closed in our lorde / by grace supernall.

261

The excellent goodnes / of this moynes,
And fame of vertue / with humylyte,
Transcended all other / in perfyte holynes;
So that sundry persones / approched that party
For ghostly conforte / counsell and remedy.
Suche as to her came / pensyue / woo / and sadde,
Departed ioyfull / in soule mery and gladde.
70

262

She dayly prouyded / for ghostly treasure
To buylde her a place / a sure mansyon,
Euer to remayne / with ioye and endure
In pleasure perpetuall / without corrupcyon:
Whiche she optayned by her deuocyon
After this departure / to reygne as a presydent
In eterne blys / with god omnypotent.

A lytell treatyse of the lyfe of saynt Audry, abbesse of Ely / and of her holy couersacyon and great deuocyon / vnder whome saynt Werburge was made nonne / and professed. Ca. xviii.

263

The yere of our lorde .vi. C. ix. and thyrty
Regned saynt Anna / kynge of eest-Englande;
Whiche maryed saynt Hereswith / of the North party.
They had noble yssue / as we vnderstande:
Prynce Aldulph and Iurwyne / in story as is founde,
Saynt Sexburge the quene / and blessed Audry,
Saynt Ethelberge / Withburge / —a holy progeny.

264

This blessed Audry / called Etheldred,
Of two great kyngedomes / lynyally descendynge,
Was borne in Suffolke / as sayth saynt Bede,
In a lytell vyllage / called Exmynge.
This noble prynces / and dere derlynge,
With many great vertues / of grace illumynate,
Magnyfyed her parage / and royall astate.

265

This blessed Audry / from her yonge aege
Was dysposed euer / vnto sadnes,
Obedyent lowly / vnto her parentage,
Encreasynge in vertue / and constaunt sobrynes;
Worldely pleasures / dysportes / and wantonnes,
71

Lyghtnes of language / and all presumpcyon
In this sayd vyrgyn / had no domynacyon.

266

Sad and demure / she was in countenaunce,
Nothynge enclyned / vnto fragylyte;
Benynge and pacyent / without perturbaunce,
Meke / curteys / gentyll / full of humylyte;
Pryde / statelenes / and sensualyte
Were not in her founde / by any condycyon,
Curteyse in byhauour / vnto euery persone.

267

No man was greued / nor toke dyspleasure
At this sayd mayden / in her fathers hall,
Euery honest persone / and reasonable creature
Were pleased with her / bothe one and all,
None dyscontent / pryuate nor generall;
She was so meke / and full of pacyence,
That people desyred / to come to her presence.

268

She was beauteous / fayre and amyable,
Pleasaunte to beholde / in gyftes of nature,
Her countenaunce comly / swete / louely / and stable;
Nothynge dysposed / vnto worldely pleasure,
More lyke an angell / by all coniecture
Than a fragyll mayde / of sensuall appetyte—
For in vayne pleasures / she had no delyte.

269

Whan that she came / to yeres of dyscrecyon,
Dyuers her moeued / in way of maryage;
Some offered ryches / royalte / and renowne,
Some other possessyons / landes and herytage,
And some the sufferaynte / her mynde to asswage;
All these she refused / for the loue of Ihesu,
To whome she auowed / her chastyte full tru.

270

After that Venus / had her longe assayled
72

To peruerte her mynde / to worldly affeccyon,
And of all nettes and engynes / therof had fayled,
Than came to her presence / a prynce of renowne,
Called duke Tombert / of the eest regyon;
Whiche longe desyred / to haue her in spousage,
At the laste optayned / the wyll of her parentage.

271

Vnto whiche thynge / he wolde neuer enclyne,
For all the mocyon / of her hye parentes,
Tyll she was assured / by heuenly doctryne
To kepe her vyrgynyte / clere in conscyens;
Than she consented / without concupyscens,
And with the sayd duke / she lyued in chastyte,
Bothe mayden and wyfe / almost yeres thre.

272

After whose dethe / she remayned in Ely,
In fastynge / prayer / vygyls / and penaunce—
Whiche place was gyuen / to her Ioynt and dowry
By Tombert her husbande / with great pleasaunce.
This yle of Ely / by deuyne purueaunce
With muddy waters / is compased aboute,
Theyr enemyes to greue / and strongely to holde out.

273

Thyder came Egbyrct / kynge of the north parte,
To desyre saynt Audry / in matrymony.
To whome she wolde neuer / consent in herte,
For no maner counseyll / that myght be done, truly—
Tho her syster Sexburge / moeued her tenderly—
Tyll the angell of god / assured her to be
Quene / wyfe / and mayde / kepynge vyrgynyte.

274

Than Audry graunted / maryed for to be
Vnto this foresayd / noble kynge Egfryde.
And at the maryage / was great solempnyte,
Tryumphes, honoures / on euery syde;
Great cost and royalte / they dyd prouyde.
73

Frome Ely departed / vnto his owne place,
In the North parte dwellynge / with great solace.

275

By the grace of our lorde god / moost of myght,
And helpe of his mother / blessed mayd mary,
By prayer of Audry / and by myracle ryght
Togyder they lyued / bothe in pure chastyte:
The naturall mocyon / of his lascyuyte
Was shortly slaked / and feruent desyre,
By myracle / as water quencheth the fyre.

276

Whan he apperceyued / her asured constaunce,
Her perfyte holynes / and chast contynence,
His herte reiosed / of her contynuaunce.
Of whome she desyred / with humble reuerence
And synguler supplycacyon / to haue fre lysence
At Canwod abbay / to enter relygyon;
Whiche the kynge graunted / for her deuocyon.

277

Saynt Ebba, syster / vnto saynt Oswolde,
Was abbesse and ruler / of that congregacyon.
Where blessed Audry / ryght as she wolde,
Was reuerently receyued / into relygyon;
And after the yere / of her probacyon
Professed there was / by bysshop Wylfryde;
Where all worldly honours / she set on syde.

278

Frome thens she departed / to the yle of Ely,
More quyetly to lyue / out of busynesse,
For drede of the kynge / her husbande, truly,
Purposynge to take her / frome that holynesse.
She toke two maydens / with her, doubtlesse;
And in theyr Iournay / our lorde of his grace
Shewed dyuers myracles / at eche restynge-place.

279

The archebysshop of yorke / Wylfryde, her confessour,
74

Was depryued frome his benefyce / by the kynge cruelly;
Obserued pacyence / laudynge our sauyour
And folowed saynt Audry / to the place of Ely—
Whiche (as afore is sayd) was her Ioynt and dowry—
And electe her abbesse / on that congregacyon,
Moost worthy to be / for her holy conuersacyon.

280

Where Audry buylded / a chyrche of our lady,
With helpe of kynge Aldulph / her brother naturall,
Dystaunt a myle / frome the olde monastery
Founded by saynt Austyn / for meryte spyrytuall;
Whiche place all desolate / she edyfyed full specyall
By her prouysyon / an other noble monastery,
The yere of grace / syxe hundreth seuenty and thre.

281

Whan the werke was ended / as her wyll was,
She endowed the abbay / with fraunches and lyberte
And gaue the hole yle of Ely / to that place,
With all commodytes / profettes / and yssues, fre
Frome all exaccyons / exempte clerely to be
Of kynge and bysshop / confyrmed it at Rome,
With all prelates & prynces / consentynge of this regyon.

282

In short tyme and space / to Audry dyd resorte
Relygyous men and women / a great company,
Professed in that place / for theyr ghostly conforte,
Renounsynge vayne pleasures / & honours transsytory;
Amonge whome saynt Werburge / professed solemply,
Promysed in audyence / to lyue a lyfe monestycall
After saynt Benettes rule / for the lyfe eternall.

283

Also the yere of grace / syxe hundreth seuenty and nyne
In the moneth of Iulii / in the nynth kalendas
To heuen departed / saynt Audry the quene,
Than reygnynge in Kent / kynge Lothary by grace,
75

Aldulph in eest-Englande / her brother whiche was,
Kynge Offryde her husbande / in Northumberlande,
Also kynge Ethelrede / than reygnynge in Mercelande.

A breue rehersal of þe lyfe of saynt Sexburge / graundmother to saynt Werburge. And of her comynge to Ely to her syster Audry from Shepay monastery. Ca. xix.

284

The holy matrone / and quene saynt Sexburge,
A kynges doughter / & moder to kynges twayne,
Syster to saynt Audry / & graundmother to Werburge,
Of noble parentage / is comen, certayne,
Of two realmes descendynge / lynyally and playne:
By her father / from the realme of eest-Englande
And by her mother / frome Northumberlande.

285

Her father saynt Anna / as sayth myne auctour,
Was kynge of the eest parte / sone to Egnicius;
Whiche Anna was maryed / with moche honour
To Hereswith / doughter to kynge Herericius
And syster to saynt Hylde / the vyrgyn gracyous;
To whome saynt Edwyn / the gloryous martyr,
Kynge of Northumberlande / was great-graundfather.

286

This sayd kynge Anna / lyued a longe space
In welthe / worshyp / honour / and prosperyte
With his quene Hereswith / by synguler grace,
Obseruynge Iustyce / pacyence / and equyte,
Kepte the preceptes / of god almyghte,
Mercyfull and lyberall / to the poore in payne;
Whiche kynge by Penda / was murdred and slayne.

287

As the ryuer passeth / oftetymes the heed-fountayne,
The lytell graffe or ympe / transcendeth the tree,
Lykewyse theyr chyldren / encresed, certayne,
76

In mekenes / pacyence / and perfyte charyte
Aboue theyr parentes / in vertue and benygnyte;
So that theyr name / lynage / and hye astate
By them was magnyfyed / praysed and decorate.

288

Kynge Anna and Hereswith / had a noble yssue:
Syxe goodly chyldren / pleasaunt to beholde—
None fayrer in this lande / myndynge all vertue
And to all good maners / dysposed manyfolde;
yet was theyr fayrenes / not equall to be tolde
To theyr deuocyon / and synguler goodnes;
Whose names expressed / ben afore, doubtles.

289

Sexburge, the eldest / of the systers all,
Instructe by her parentes / in vertuous dyscyplyne,
Folowynge theyr counsell / in herte full specyall
Prepared her soule / after theyr doctryne
Fer aboue the age / of so yonge a femynyne;
So that euery day / by grace and wysdome
In her dyd growe / some plant of deuocyon.

290

In all this realme / dylated was her fame;
That, whan she approched / vnto lawfull aege,
Prynces / dukes / erles / herynge of her name
Desyred to haue Sexburge / in maryage,
And busyly laboured / vnto her parentage.
This mayd was maryed / with honour full excellent
Vnto Ercombert / the noble kynge of Kent.

291

To whome kynge Ethelbryct / graundfather was,
The fyrst chrysten kynge / of Saxons and chefe floure,
Baptysed by saynt Austyn / thrughe heuenly grace;
He was to holy chyrche / a specyall benefactour:
Monasteryes and pryores / founded with great honoure.
Kynge Eadbalde his sone / exemple of hym toke,
Whiche was father to Ercombert / as sayth my boke.
77

292

This lady Sexburge / cyrcumfulsed with grace,
After her desyre / and vertuous entent
Had leuer the monastery / than the fayre palace,
The chyrche to vysyte / than with maryage be lent;
But to her parentes / she was euer obedyent,
Folowynge theyr counseyll / and of her frendes dere
In lawfull maryage / toke the sayd kynge her fere.

293

A noble generacyon / she hadde by the kynge:
Egbryct and Lothary / two prynces prepotent,
And two holy doughters / in vertue shynynge,
Ermenylde and Erkengode / by lynyall descent.
This Ermenylde, maryed / with honour equyualent
Vnto kynge Vulfer / had a royall yssue:
The gloryous Werburge / replete with vertue.

294

Her syster Erkengode / refused vtterly
Honours / worshyp / and worldly possessyon,
Ryches / maryage / and pleasures transytory,
Went vnto Fraunce / with humble deuocyon,
At the Cytee of Burges / entred relygyon,
Where Ethelberge her aunt / was ruler and abbesse;
Togyder they lyued / in perfyte holynesse.

295

This honorable Sexburge / and blessed matrone,
Refusynge worldly honours / and solempnyte
Preferred mekenesse / and perfyte deuocyon
Aboue all ryches / power and dygnyte,
Auoyded ambycyon / obserued humylyte,
Vpon poore people / euer had compassyon
And them releued / with due mynystracyon.

296

She made her palace / manytymes an hospytall,
Her pryuate cubycle / a deuoute oratory;
As a kynde mother amyable / in courte and in hall
78

Mekely fulfylled / the seuen werkes of mercy;
Oftetymes in the chyrche / selde amonge company;
yet euer whan she myght / haue tyme and space,
Magnyfyed and praysed / our lorde in secrete place.

297

She instructe her husbande / in ghostly vertu,
To great lolynesse / and synguler perfeccyon.
So by her counseyll / with the grace of Ihesu
Frome infydelyte / purged was that regyon;
Destroyed theyr ydolles / theyr sectes euerychone,
Restaured temples / vnto chrystes honour,
Founded monasteryes / by her cost and labour.

298

The kynge by her mocyon / commaunded straytly
All his people and subiectes / vpon sharpe correccyon
To obserue prayer / and penaunce deuoutely
And truly for to fast / the holy tyme of Lenton.
The archbysshop Theodorus / and fathers of relygyon,
Consyderynge her pacyence / and benygnyte
Reioysed in her dedes / and praysed the trynyte.

299

Whan the famous Ercombert / the sayd kynge of Kent,
Foure & twenty yere had reygned / in honour full royall
With blessed Sexburge / his quene excellent,
Than he departed / frome this lyfe mortall.
The quene prepared / the obsequyes funerall,
With great lamentacyon / and great royalte,
As was conuenyent / for his state and degre.

300

After that Sexburge / refused worldely pleasure,
Entred relygyon / professed chastyte,
At Shepay monastery / in Kent full sure,
Buylded at her cost / full honorable.
After electe Abbesse / and ruler of that companye;
To whome she was / a myrrour of mekenes
And exemple of vertue / and proued holynes.
79

301

As she was occupyed / in medytacyon,
An heuenly messanger / to her was sent,
Shewynge how for synne / and transgressyon
Englande shulde suffer / great punysment
And be subdued / with greuous torment.
Wherfore she lefte / in good rule that place
And dyd electe to them / an other abbace.

302

Sexburge toke lycence / of her systers all,
Commendynge them / vnto the trynyte,
And so departed / fro her chyldren spyrytuall;
With labour attayned / to the hous of Elye,
There to be subiecte / to Her syster Audrye
And to her doctryne / apply her entent,
Vnto relygyon / euer founde obedyent.

303

Saynt Audry was gladde / of her systers comynge;
In lyke maner / were all the hole congregacyon,
With myrthes and solace / in soule reioysynge
To haue the presence / of so worthy a persone.
There lyued togyder / in perfyte deuocyon,
Tyll blessed Audry / frome this lyfe mortall
Departed was / to the lyfe eternall.

304

After whose buryall / Sexburge was electe
To be abbesse and ruler / ouer that couent.
Whiche to all vertue / her mynde dyd erecte;
And the .xvi. yere after / with labours dylygent
She translate saynt Audry / that noble presydent,
Beynge hole incorrupte / also substancyall
In body and in vesture / by grace supernall.
80

How saynt Ermenylde after the dethe of kynge Vulfer, her husbande, was made a nonne at Ely / vnder her mother saynt Sexburge abbesse / and Werburge her deuoute doughter. Ca. xx.

305

Of Mercyens the kynge / whan the foresayd Vulfere
Had regned in honour / worshyp and royalte
With saynt Ermenylde his quene / fully .xvii. yere,
Vnto euerlastynge blysse / departed than he
And buryed was / with moche solempnyte
In Lychefelde chyrche. / after hym there dyd succede
In-to the kyngdome / his brother Ethelrede.

306

The quene for her husbande / made great lamentacyon,
Dolefully lamentynge / nyght and day his departure,
As nature enquyred / endurynge a longe season,
Remayned in wydohode / and mournynge vesture;
yet after all heuynesse / penaunce / and dysconfyture
She reioysed in soule / to be at lyberte,
Entendynge relygyon / by grace of the trynyte.

307

Soone she departed / to the hous of Ely,
Refusynge this worlde / pleasures, possessyon,
Instauntly requyred / with perfyte humylyte
To be a moynes / accepte in relygyon.
Gladde was the abbesse / of her conuersyon
And thanked our lorde / of his specyall grace;
So dyd all the systers / within the sayd place.

308

Her naturall mother / blessed Sexburge,
That tyme was lady / and chefe presydent;
There was professed / her doughter Werburge,
An exemple of mekenes / to all the couent.
Ermenylde thanked god / and was obedyent
81

To her mother Sexburge / a myrrour of vertu,
Also to her doughter / the spouses of Ihesu.

309

It passeth mannes reason / playnly to expresse
Her vertuous lyfe / and ghostly conuersacyon,
In prayer / penaunce / and proued mekenesse,
In perfyte obedyence / and synguler deuocyon,
In vygyls / abstynence / and in hye perfeccyon,
The cotydyane labours / her body to chastyce,
That her soule may be / to god true sacryfyce.

310

Bycause that Werburge / in order was senyoure,
Her mother Ermenylde / gaue her the sufferaynte,
Preferrynge her doughter / with mekenes and honoure;
But yet her doughter / of a naturall amyte
Preferred her mother / with humble senyoryte;
And so bytwene them / was a swete contencyon
Wheder shulde more subiecte be / to other in relygyon.

311

Afore, whan Ermenylde / was vnder maryage,
Vnto holy matrones / she was comparable:
Sara / Rebecca / Rachell / and Sybell sage,
And saynt Elysabeth / with other mo honorable;
Now in relygyon / she is moost notable,
Knowen by her vertues / and sadde dysposycyon
What vnder matrymony / was her intencyon.

312

Ermenylde subdued / by synguler deuyne grace
All fragyll mocyons / and sensualyte,
Lyke maner as Iudyth / Olofernes slayne hace;
She mortyfyed all pleasures / lustes and volupte,
Lykewyse as Iaell / dyd the prynce Sysare;
A duches of vertue / as whylom was Delbora;
Vsed the oratory / in prayer as dyd Anna.

313

After the departure / and wofull buryall
82

Of Sexburge, her mother / abbesse and lady,
Her doughter Ermenylde / the blessed monyall,
Was chosen abbesse / and ruler of Ely—
As sheweth dan Wyllyam / of Maluysbury
How fyrst was Audry / than Sexburge, her syster,
Afterwarde was abbesse / Ermenylde, her doughter.

314

The lyfe of Ermenylde / was euer vertuous,
Pleasaunt to god / and her systers euerychone;
In the syght of god / her dethe was precyous,
Playnly notyfyed / by her conuersacyon.
She vertuously gouerned / her congregacyon,
Frome this lyfe departed / to eternall glory,
As sayth her legende / the Idus of February;

315

And buryed was / with moche lamentacyon
In the holy monastery / and house of Ely
Amonge her parentage / and congregacyon;
Where she is shryned / with her aunt saynt Audry
And with her mother / saynt Sexburge rychely;
For whome our sauyour / of his specyall grace
Sheweth dayly myracles / in that sayd place.

316

One of the myracles / we shall now rehers
Our lorde for her shewed / at Ely abbay
After her translacyon / the story dothe expres.
It fortuned in Whytson weke / vpon a thursday,
An Englysshman was bounden / in wofull aray,
Fetered with yrons / bothe on handes and fete,
Wrongfully accused / as ye may all wete.

317

By instaunt request / he gate hym lycence
To vysyte the tombe / of saynt Ermenylde.
Whome he requyred / with humble reuerence
And meke petycyon / frome the herte full mylde,
To be delyuered / and fully reconsylde.
83

Whose humble desyre / and synguler supplycacyon
Was fully graunted / to his consolacyon.

318

At this tyme / whan this holy man was prayenge,
Whan the Deken redde the holy gospell,
By meane of Ermenylde / to our lorde and kynge
Frome his handes and fete / the yrons done fell,
By grace aboue nature / merueylously to tell,
That the sayd yrons / in syght of all the bretherne
Sprange vp sodenly / and lyght vpon the aulter.

Aliud miraculum.

319

An other myracle / declare now may we,
Done at the sayd Ely / by this holy matrone,
In presence of the pryor / and all the fraternyte,
Whiche pryor of this mater / had best notycyon.
A scole-mayster of Innocentes / after the custome
Gaue lysence / vpon saynt Ermenyldes day
To all his chyldren / to sport them in play.

320

Whan the feest / and solempnyte was done,
The yonge tender chyldren / wanton and neclygent,
Dredynge theyr mayster / for fere of correccyon
To the holy shryne / they assembled full dylygent,
Trustynge therby of pardon / after theyr entent,
Desyred theyr mayster / for saynt Ermenyldes sake
To pardon theyr trespas / and no dyspleasure take.

321

The mayster, fulfylled / with hastynes and enuy,
Toke them frome the tombe / with great indygnacyon,
Without dyscrecyon / punysshed them greuously,
Gyuynge no honour / to the saynt ne deuocyon
Rebuked them sore / sayenge with insultacyon:
‘Trowe ye to be spared / from punyshment this day
For saynt Ermenyldes sake? / nay, nay, do way!’
84

322

After all this done / the nexte nyght folowynge,
Whan the sayd mayster / to his bedde was gone,
His great vnkyndenes / saynt Ermenylde remembrynge
Rewarded hym Iustly / after his guerdon:
His handes and his fete / prompte to persecucyon,
Were sodenly smytten / made lame / contracte also;
No power had to ryse / to moeue nor to go.

323

This sodayne punysshement / langour / confusyon
Vexed hym greuously in all his body,
Moost terryble of all / of helthe desperacyon
Inwardly hym troubled / with peynes horryble.
But yet by grace / he thought best remedy
Sende for his chyldren / vpon the other day,
Humble asked them pardon / in a wofull aray;

324

Desyrynge his scolers / for loue and charyte
To cary hym moost carefull / to her sepulture,
To requyre for hym grace / helthe and prosperyte
Of god and saynt Ermenylde / with all theyr cure.
They toke hym tenderly / ye may me leue full sure,
Amonge them all / with mynde dylygent
And brought to the shryne / this wretched impotent.

325

They prayed for hym / to our blessed sauyour
And to saynt Ermenylde / a longe tyme and space,
Knelynge on theyr knees / wepynge full sore,
In prayer and psalmody / for his helthe and solace:
And so contynuynge / by our lordes great grace
He that afore was lame / bothe on fote and hande,
Restored to helthe / departed hole and sounde.
85

How kynge Ethelrede, seynge the holy conuersacyon of Werburge, his nece / made her lady and abbesse at Wedon / Trentam / and Hambury. And by her counseyll and exsample was made monke at Bardeney abbay. Ca. xxi.

326

The famous prynce / and foresayd Ethelrede,
Brother to kyng Vulfer / as lawfull enherytour
To the sayd kyngedome / dyd nexte hym succede,
Electe of his peeres / with worshyp and honour,
Permytted by his chyrche / to be theyr gouernour,
Bycause prynce Kenrede / his brother sone,
Was yonge and not able / to rule his kyngdome.

327

This sayd kynge Ethelrede / clerely consyderynge
With due cyrcumstaunce / the hye perfeccyon
Of Werburge, his nece / and vertuous lyuynge,
Her great holynesse / and ghostly conuersacyon,
Dayly encresynge / with feruent deuocyon,
The excellent fame / and myracles full ryght
Shewed by our sauyour / bothe day and nyght:

328

These good exsamples / grounded in vertu,
Moeued kynge Ethelrede / in soule and in mynde:
And clerely conuerted / throwe the grace of Ihesu
To despyse this worlde / wretched and blynde,
Pryncypally by grace / wryten as we fynde,
For her great goodnes / and vertues excellent
He made her lady / ruler / and presydent

329

Ouer all the nonnes / of euery monastery
Within his realme / to gouerne and to guyde,
To instructe and informe / and to exemplyfy,
To encrese deuocyon / vpon euery syde,
Vertue to exalte / to subdue vyce and pryde;
86

That holy relygyon / pleasaunt to chryst Ihesu,
Myght dayly encrese / frome vertu to vertu.

330

Also he gaue Werburge / great possessyon,
Landes / and rentes / ryches withall,
To edyfy and repayre / places of relygyon
After her desyre / with fauour specyall.
Wherwith she buylded / famous memoryall
Two fayre monasteryes / Trentam and Hambury,
Possessed with rentes / landes / and lyberte.

331

Also by sufferaunce / of the sayd kynge, truly,
She translate the kynges maner of Wedon,
Whiche was in Hamptonshyre / vnto a monastery
Of holy women / obseruynge relygyon,
Suffycyently endowed / with lybertes / possessyon.
Of whiche sayd places / she had the gouernaunce,
As worthy maystres / all vertue to auaunce.

332

The yere of grace / syxe hundreth foure score and nyen,
As sheweth myne auctour / a Bryton Giraldus,
Kynge Ethelred / myndynge moost the blysse of heuen,
Edyfyed a collage-chyrche / notable and famous
In the subbarbes of Chester / pleasaunt and beauteous,
In the honour of god / and the Baptyst saynt Iohan,
With helpe of bysshop Vulfryce / and good exortacyon.

333

Also at the humble / and synguler supplycacyon
Of blessed Egwyn / bysshop of worcestur,
This kynge gaue a place / for a fundacyon
To buylde a monastery / to relygyous brethur
At Eusam vpon Auen / for heuenly tresur,
With a large precynct / to compas all the abbay,
More quyetly to serue / our sauyour nyght and day.

334

After this tyme / Ethelrede the kynge
87

By his counseyll maryed / a beautefull lady,
Called quene Ostryde / a woman of good lyuynge,
Borne in the North parte / doughter to kynge Oswy—
To whome saynt Oswalde / was vncle, truly.
The yssue bytwene them / after to succede
Was a noble prynce / nomynate Colrede.

335

Agaynst his enemyes / the kynge gate vyctory,
Fortunate in batayle / sore oppressed Kent.
In all this regyon / famous was his chyualry;
Namely he subdued / at the water of Trent
Egfryde of Northumberlande / a kynge auncyent,
His brother-in-lawe / whan Egfryde agaynst reason
Entred his landes / by subtyll intrusyon.

336

But after that Ostryde / his quene, was slayne
By people of the North parte / moost cruelly,
The kynge frome that tyme / by grace, certayne,
Chaunged his maners / and lyuynge dayly
Frome temporall cures / and busynesse worldly
To ghostly werkes / and contemplacyon,
Sekynge for heuen / with pure deuocyon.

337

Specyally he folowed / saynt Werburge counsell,
Vsynge hym after / her swete ghostly doctryne;
The clere exsamples / as we afore dyd tell,
Moeued his conscyence / to ghostly dyscyplyne
With suche contrycyon / by specyall grace deuyne,
That all vayne pleasures / and honours transytory
Were clere expulsed / and put out of memory.

338

This kynge refused / his septre and crowne,
Clothes of Tyshew / and purpull full royall,
With ryches / lybertes / pleasures / possessyon,
For the loue of Ihesu / in herte pryncypall /
And for the meryte / of his soule-helthe withall.
88

So whan he had reygned / nyne and twenty yere,
He chaunged his habyte / sayth the story clere;

339

At a relygyous place / nomynate Bardenay,
In Lyncolne-shyre / vnder his domynyon,
Synguler byloued / of hym alway,
Desyred the habyte / with meke supplycacyon
And was receyued / professynge relygyon,
Euer after to obserue / the essencyals thre:
Obedyence / chastyte / and wylfull pouerte.

340

He assygned his crowne / and temporall dygnyte
Vnto prynce Kenrede / his brother sone,
As true enherytour / to haue regalyte.
For in pure obedyence / prayer and medytacyon
Ethelrede encresed / with feruent deuocyon;
And as declareth / wyllyam of Maluysbury,
After was made abbot / of the sayd monastery.

The holy conuersacyon of kynge Kenred, brother to saynt Werburge / & how he refused his crowne / and was made monke at Rome / & ther departed a holy confessour. Ca. xxii.

341

So whan kynge Etheldrede / by heuenly grace
At Bardenay abbay / professed relygyon,
Than prynce Kenrede / his successour was
And toke the Empyre / the septre and the crowne
With moche worshyp / royalte / and renowne,
As nexte of inherytaunce / by law naturall
To be kynge of Mercyens / by dyscent lynyall.

342

This noble kynge Kenrede / replete with vertu,
Brother to Werburge / obserued truly
The commaundymentes of god / & his lawes moost tru,
89

Obedyent to our sauyour / and lorde almyghty,
Loued holy chyrche / moost tenderly,
Mynystred Iustyce / to his subiectes all,
Mercyfull to the poore / pyteous and lyberall.

343

In all his realme / was no dyuersyte,
Malyce was subdued / rancour and debate,
Vertue encreased / true loue and charyte,
Enuy was exyled / and all pryuy hate;
Thefte / murthur / robry / were founde at no gate,
True men myght lyue / without vexacyon;
Pollers / promoters had no domynacyon.

344

He gaue to our sauyour / and bysshop Egwyn
For ghostly meryte / with moche honoure
Of tenementes and landes / playnely to determyne,
Within worcetur-shyre .iiii. score and foure,
To maynteyne the monastery / spoken of before,
Euesham vpon Auen / byfore lawfull wytnes,
As the legende of Egwyn / truly dothe expres.

345

To the courte of Rome / kynge Kenred went;
So dyd Offa kynge / of the eest-Saxons,
Also bysshop Egwyn / by one assent,
Deuoutly to vysyte / all the hole stacyons
Of the cytee of Rome / with humble supplycacyons,
Thankynge our lorde / of his mercy
Hath them preserued / and all theyr company.

346

This holy bysshop / and kynge Kenrede
Offered to our holy father / pope boneface
With mekenes, deuocyon / for ghostly mede
Afore his collage / wytnes in that case,
The foresayd monastery / and relygyous place,
Frome that day euer after / to be clerely exempte,
To the popes holynes / immedyatly obedyent.
90

347

Whan they had optayned / perfyte expedycyon
Of all theyr bulles / after theyr entent,
They toke lycence / and had the popes beneson,
And towarde Englande / retourned and went,
Praysynge our lorde / with herte and loue feruent
For theyr good spede / and prosperous Iournay,
Preserued in good helthe / all to theyr countray.

348

After all this done / Kenrede the sayd kynge
Commaunded to be had / a counseyll generall,
By letters myssyue / his peeres and lordes cytynge
Shortly to be present / with hym, one and all,
As well the spyrytualte / as the temporall.
The Seyn was kepte / at a place called Alue,
And thyder assembled / his prelates of degre.

349

Berthtunaldus / the archebysshop of Canturbury,
The archbysshop of yorke / called Wylfryde,
With bysshops / suffreganes / archdekens many,
Dukes / erles / barons / vpon euery syde,
Knyghtes / esquyers / and comunes that tyde
Were redy to knowe / the kynges mynde and pleasure,
Well ordred in place / and scylence kepte sure.

350

This gloryous Kenrede / crowned with golde,
Clothed in purpull / rose vp fro his place,
After due salutacyon / the cause mekely he tolde
Why he for them sende / and wherfore it was:
That they shulde testyfy / with hym in this case
What landes he gaue / towarde the fundacyon
Of the sayd monastery / with grete deuocyon,

351

And how for that abbay / he went to Rome
And made the place subiecte / immedyatly
To our father boniface / and gate an exempcyon
91

For euer to remayne / to the sayd monastery,
With pardons and pryuyleges / there redde openly,
And many other benefytes / of great commodyte,
Wryten in theyr grauntes / who lyst them to se;

352

Requyrynge the lordes / spyrytuall and temporall
To graunte to the same / with good entent
And it to confyrme / and roborate specyall
With charters and dedes / and seales patent.
To whose petycyon / they dyd all consent,
Made confyrmacyons and grauntes them amonge,
With a terryble sentence / who dothe the place wronge.

353

Kynge Kenrede, consyderynge / the great holynes
Of his noble parentes / his vncles euerychone,
Theyr royall progeny / the sufferaunt goodnes,
From this lyfe transytory / to heuen agone;
Namely the vertue / and feruent deuocyon
Of his syster Werburge / and his auntes all
Moeued his mynde / to seke for lyfe eternall:

354

And, as saynt Bede sayth / whan this noble kynge
Had regned fyue yere / in great prosperyte,
He forsoke this worlde / and chaunged his lyuynge,
Refusynge his crowne / septre / and dygnyte,
All vayne honours / ryches and regalyte,
And made his vncles sone / prynce Coelrede,
To take his empyre / after hym to succede.

355

So with all gentylnes / and humylyte
The kynge of his subiectes / toke leue specyall,
Commendynge his people / to the trynyte
Them to conserue / spyrytuall and temporall.
Of his departure / dolorous were they all.
Thus for the loue / of our sauyoure
He refused this worlde / pleasures and honoure.
92

356

And went to Rome agayne / the yere of grace
Seuen hundreth and eyght / by full computacyon,
Vysytynge the stacyons / frome place to place;
There was professed / to saynt Benettes relygyon,
Vsed vygyls / fastynges / prayer / medytacyon;
Where this holy monke / frome this lyfe transytory
With vertu departed / to eternall glory.

Of þe feruent & ghostly deuocyon of saynt Werburge / & vertuous governaunce of her places / & of þe great humilite she vsed to her sisters / & al other creatures. Ca. xxiii.

357

This venerable Werburge / & moynes gracyous,
For her great vertue / and perfyte holynesse
Electe to be gouernour / ouer the nonnes relygeous
By her vncle kynge Ethelrede / of his goodnesse
Ouer dyuers monasteryes (as is sayd) expresse,
Was consecrate abbesse / and lady gracyous
By the bysshop of Lychefelde / nomynat Sexwulfus.

358

And thus she departed / fro the hous of Ely,
Wherin she vsed / heuenly medytacyon,
With lycence optayned / in mynde sad and heuy;
So were the systers / and all the congregacyon
Of her departure / knowynge her conuersacyon;
But, as wolde charyte / they had great gladnes,
Knowynge by her vertue / relygyon to encres.

359

The spouses of Ihesu / and floure of benygnyte
Consyderynge her-selfe / a lady and presydent,
Ordered her monasteryes: ryght well and wysele,
Receyued in systers / chast / humble / obedyent,
Ouer them made rulers / vertuous / and pacyent,
93

Her subiectes to instructe / and counseyll day and nyght,
Vertue to exalte / and vyce depryue aryght.

360

This noble abbesse / remembrynge her duty,
What charge it is / to rule a congregacyon,
Humble requyred / the grace of god almyghty
And dylygently prepared / to supple her rowme;
Pryncypally she gaue / to them euerychone
Perfyte exsample / of vertue in her dede,
With vertuous doctryne / the same to procede.

361

A myrrour of mekenesse / she was to them all,
A floure of chastyte / and well of clennes,
The fruyte of obedyence / in her was specyall;
Refusynge vayne pleasures / honours and ryches
Content with lytell / an exsample of lowlynes
As dothe belonge / vnto wylfull pouerte;
Pryde had no resydence / but all humylyte.

362

She was a mynyster / rather than a maystres,
Her great preemynence / caused no presumpcyon;
She was a handmayd / rather than a pryores,
Seruynge her systers / with humble subieccyon;
Subduynge her body / to penaunce and afflyccyon,
Subiecte to the soule / as reason wolde shulde be,
A true sacryfyce / offered to the trynyte.

363

It was no merueyll / tho all her couent
Vnder suche a ruler / encreased in vertu,
Seynge her exsample / afore them dayly present,
Euer augmentynge / throwe the helpe of Ihesu;
Worldy desyres / she clerely dyd subdue;
She neuer ware lynon / by day or by nyght,
All ryche vayne vestures / she set by them but lyght.

364

In prayer, medytacyon / the tyme she dyspent,
94

Proued: for euery nyght / longe afore matyns
She wolde vpryse / at an houre conuenyent
And deuoutely say / afore our lordes presens
Dauyd spalter holly knelynge / with great reuerence,
Or that her systers / came to the oratory
To say dyuyne seruyce / fyndynge her all redy.

365

At after matyns / she vsed contemplacyon,
Contynually abydynge / vnto the day-lyght
Prostrate on the grounde / or knelynge in deuocyon,
Wepynge full tenderly / with teeres downe ryght;
Many holy oraysons / she sayd day and nyght;
Pyteous / mercyable / and full of charyte
To the poore people / in theyr necessyte.

366

This lady obserued / suche sharpe abstynence
That one dayly repast / wolde her well suffyse;
Delycate dysshe meetes / were put out of her presence;
So nature were content / in moost humble wyse,
The Worde of god / was moost delycate seruyse;
Myndynge moche more / the soule to satysfy
Than please and content / her enemy, the body.

367

These sayd exemples / with many other mo
Pleasaunte vnto Ihesu / she taught her couent,
Them to preserue / frome theyr mortall fo,
By synguler vertue / grace to augment.
Her precepte and lyuynge / were euer corespondent,
She neuer commaunded syster / do any thynge
But it was fulfylled / in her owne doynge.

368

She exorted her chyldren / euer to deuocyon,
With manyfolde doctrynes / ydlenes to exchewe;
Lyke a tender mother / had pyte and compassyon,
She dayly fedde them / and nourysshed in all vertue,
And dylygently prayed / our sauyour Ihesu
95

Them to preserue / of his infynyte grace
Frome peryll of peryshynge / in blysse to se his face.

369

Also the .xii. degrees / of humylyte,
Pacyence / quyetnes / and great perfeccyon
Were well obserued / with true loue and charyte,
Amonge her systers / the hole congregacyon;
And the thre essencyals / of relygyon:
Wylfull pouerte / chastyte / and obedyence,
were truly fulfylled / proued by the consequence.

370

As for a pastyme / amonge her systers all
She caused to be redde / auoydynge ydlenesse,
The swete legendary / for a memoryall,
And Vitas patrum / shewynge great swetenesse,
With other narracyons / of grace and goodnesse.
Ofttymes to her couent / she had a comyn sayenge:
‘Please god and loue hym / and doubte ye nothynge.’

371

All reders excuse me / tho I can not expresse
For lacke of lernynge / the vertues morall,
The hye perfeccyon / and proued holynesse
Of this pure vyrgyn / and sanctymonyall,
Wherwith was decorate / her lyfe monestycall,
Manyfest with myracles / by meryte of her mekenesse,
As the true hystory / playnly dothe expresse.

372

The worthy myracles / of this vyrgyn pure
Dylated were / thrugh all this regyon,
By deuyne sufferaunce / aboue nature,
Profytable / to euery chrysten synguler persone;
In sekenesse / trouble / peyne or vexacyon
Of her they haue refuge / helpe / and socoure
By her merytes / and prayer / that euery honoure(!).

373

Her merytes were / moche more commendable
96

Than were her myracles— / manyfest and playne:
For why by her merytes / famous and notable
Sygnes and myracles / were shewed full playne,
In the house of Ely / by grace of our sufferayne
And in euery place / where she kepte resydence.
Of whome parte folowen / in this rude sentence.

How at Wedon wylde gees were pynned by her commaundyment / & also releshed & put at lyberte. Ca. xxiiii.

374

This holy vyrgyn / whan she dwelled at Wedon,
In Northamptonshyrn / with a deuoute couent—
Whiche place somtyme / was the kynges mansyon,
Translated to an abbay / by her commaundyment—
A myracle was done / by this noble presydent,
As the true legende / playnly dothe vs say
And all the inhabytauntes / vnto this present day.

375

A great multytude / somtyme of wylde gees—
Comunely called Gauntes— / made great destruccyon
Vpon her landes / pastures / waters / and feldes,
Deuourynge the cornes / and fruytes of Wedon,
Greuous to her subiectes / within that possessyon;
The people coude fynde / no suffycyent remedy,
But shewed theyr complaynte / to Werburge theyr lady.

376

Whan Werburge had herde / this greuous complayne
How the cornes were wasted / þe tenauntes hurte therby,
Her herte was moeued / with charyte than, certayne,
To saue her fruytes / and helpe her company;
Wherfore she commaunded a seruaunt go hastely
To dryue those wylde gees / & brynge home to her place,
There to be pynned / and punysshed for theyr trespace.

377

The messanger merueyled / and mused in his mynde
97

Of this straunge message / stode styll in a study,
Knowynge it well / it passed course of kynde
Wylde gees for to pynne / by any mannes polycy,
Syth nature hath ordeyned / suche byrdes to fly;
Supposynge his lady / had ben vnreasonable
Commaundynge to do / a thynge vnpossyble.

378

With wordes of conforte / she sayd to hym agayne:
‘Go in my name / do my commaundyment.’
The seruaunt went forth / thynkynge all but vayne,
Vnto the foldes / where the byrdes were lent,
And sayd his message / with mynde and good entent:
‘My lady commaundes you / byrdes euerychone,
Afore me to go / vnto her proper mansyone.’

379

A merueylous thynge / transcendynge nature:
Vnto his wordes / the gees were obedyent,
Not one departed / fro thens, ye may be sure,
Of all the nombre / that there were present;
Towarde her place / afore hym they went,
Mekely / as yf they had reason naturall;
Vnto her presence / he brought the gauntes all.

380

Dredefully darynge / comen now they be,
Theyr wynges traylynge / entred into the hall,
For great confusyon / after theyr kynde and propryte,
Mournynge in theyr maner / abydynge one and all
Her wyll and Iudgment / with mercy specyall;
Lamentynge all nyght / there in captyuyte
Tyll the morowe after / withouten lyberte.

381

All that same nyght / Werburge dyd contynue
In deuoute prayers / and ympnes celestyall,
After her olde custome / vsed in all vertue.
In the mornynge after / the byrdes that were thrall
With hye voyces (as yf it were) on her dyd call
98

For grace and pardon / of theyr offence,
And of departure / to haue fre lycence.

382

Than she, full pyteous / to euery creature,
Vpon these byrdes hauynge compassyon
Delyuered them / frome all daunger and cure,
Frely to departe / vnder this condycyon
That none of them / vpon the lordshyp of Wedon
Shulde make destruccyon / nor lyght by any way
On cornes or fruytes / neuer after that day.

383

Neuertheles a seruaunt / one of the gees dyd take
And pryuely hydde it / agaynst iustyce and ryght,
Vnknowynge to Werburge / suche brybry to make.
The byrdes departed / moost glad to take theyr flyght,
From theyr tender Iudge. / but whan they sawe in syght
One of theyr felawes / taken frome theyr company,
The sayd great nombre / of gees retourned hastely.

384

They flewe ouer / this blessed vyrgyns hall
Mournynge and waylynge / after theyr entent,
And wolde not departe / but fast on her dyd call—
yet they durst not lyght / for drede of her commaundyment—
But in theyr maner & kynde they sayd / ‘o swete presydent,
Why suffer ye suche wyckednes / done for to be
Anendes our felawe / agaynst all ryght and charyte?’

385

Werburge went fyrst / to knowe wherfore and why
These byrdes retourned / so hastely, certayne.
By grace she perceyued / the cause of it, truly,
And tryed out the truthe / of all the mater playne.
She restaured the byrde / to his felyshyp agayne,
And gaue them a lesson / or they went her fro,
How they shulde prayse / theyr maker and sufferayne,
Sayenge (benedicite volucres celi domino).
99

386

But, as Wyllyam Maluysbury / sheweth expresse,
The goos that was taken / and stollen afore away,
Was rosted and eten / the same nyght, doubtlesse;
So whan it was asked / for vpon the other day,
The bare bones were brough[t] / afor this lady, veray:
And there by the vertue / of her benedyccyon
The byrde was restaured / and flewe away full soone.

387

Certaynly, frome that tyme / vnto this present day,
As all the people knowe / dwellynge aboute Wedon,
The foresayd wylde gees / attempten by no way
To hurte theyr fruytes / ne lyght in that possessyon.
No merueyll it is / remembrynge the deuocyon
And true loue she had / to god omnypotent:
For vnto vertue / all thynge is obedyent.

How a tyraunt without pyte punyshynge an Innocent was punyshed / & after made hole. Ca. xxv.

388

Forther to declare / the pacyence and humylyte
And the synguler grace / grounded in this abbas,
As in the true legende / playnly ye may se
We shall parte rehers / to augment your solas.
Werburge had a seruaunte / whiche named was
Alnotus, a man / of meke conuersacyon,
Knowen by his merytes / after due probacyon.

389

Also a baylyfe she had / a cruell tyraunt;
Whiche pyteously punysshed / without reason
And wounded greuously / Alnot, her seruaunt,
Without any greuaunce / at the place of Wedon.
Werburge for pyte / and great compassyon
Afore this caytyfe / kneled on her knee,
Prayenge hym to cease / for loue of the trynyte;
100

390

Sayenge: ‘why does thou punysshe / this innocent,
Causeles, without mercy / whiche I byleue playne
Is more acceptable / to our lorde omnypotent
Than many other be / for his mekenesse, certayne?’
The baylyfe at her prayer / wolde not refrayne,
But punysshed hym styll / in his fury and pryde;
Tyll the vengeaunce of god / fell on hym that tyde.

391

Incontynente his heed / his necke / and his face
Were tourned backwarde / lyke a persone monstruous,
Contrary to nature / for his great trespace,
Crucyate with sorowe / and peynes hyduous,
Contynually encreasynge / to beholde pyteous.
At the last remembred / of the best remedy:
Fell prostrate to the fete / of Werburge, his lady,

392

And cryed vpon her / with wofull chere,
Wepynge / lamentynge / his great inyquyte:
‘My louely lady / and maystres moost dere,
Helpe me, swete abbesse / in this necessyte!
I haue offended god / now pray for me,
And I wyll neuer / endurynge all my lyfe
Dysplease no more / man / mayde / ne wyfe.’

393

Whan Werburge consydered / his great contrycyon,
His woofull herte / and lamentable crye,
Vpon hym she had / tender compassyon;
Beholdynge his greuaunce / and tender agony,
‘Good brother,’ she sayd / ‘who-so wyll haue mercy
Must be mercyable / as in prouerbe wryten is;
Who is without mercy / of mercy shall mys.

394

‘Call vnto mynde / thy owne wycked dede
In punyshynge this poore man / without offence;
To se his punyshment / my herte sore dyd blede,
101

I kneled afore thy fete / desyrynge indulgence;
Thou toke no regarde / to my prayer ne presence,
Wherfore the Iustyce / of god almyghty
Vpon the is fallen / for thy synne soday[n]ly.’

395

Whan she had ended / her ghostly exortacyon,
Perceyuynge hym penytent / with great humylyte,
Gladde to amende / vyce and transgressyon,
Anone vnto prayer / she went with charyte,
Opteyned forgyuenesse / of the blessed trynyte:
His fysnamy / restaured to his kynde agayne,
Bothe bodyly and ghostly / cured was, certayne.

396

This forsayd Alnotus / by synguler grace
Refused this worlde / pleasures and vanyte,
Went vnto wyldernesse / and anchoryte was.
Whome theues martyred / to heuen blysse went he,
At Stow besyde Bukbrydge / buryed was, trule;
For whome our lorde / of his infynyte goodnes
Shewed many myracles / affyrmynge his holynes.

How dyuers prynces folowynge sensualyte, intendynge to violate this vyrgyn bi power / bi myracle were put to confusyon. Ca. xxvi.

397

Another sygne was shewed / by the kynge of blys
Of a wanton prynce / folowynge sensualyte
And his fragyll appetyte / in doynge amys;
Entendynge by vyolence / power / and auctoryte
To depryue Werburge / of her vyrgynyte,
Espyed a season / to fulfyll his entent,
Whan she was solytary / and no man there present.

398

By force than he began / this mayd to assayle.
But she trustynge in god / to be her protectour,
Escapynge his presence / cast her sacrat vayle
102

For lyghtnesse and ease / to fle from the traytour:
The sonne-beame receyued it / whiche hanged that houre.
Whiche myracle sene / the prynce fledde away;
That vyrgyn was preserued / by grace that day.

399

An other myracle / was done in Kent
In the vyllage of Hoo / yet full memorous.
A sensuall prynce / of wycked consent
Purposed to maculate / this vyrgyn gloryous,
Consyderynge her persone / so fayre and beauteous;
Taryed the season / to fynde her solytary,
By power to oppresse / this gracyous lady.

400

Whan the tyme was comen / he thought conuenyent,
After her furyously / he ranne a fast pace.
She, knowynge his mynde / and vnchast entent,
Seynge no remedy / by man in that place
Called to our sauyoure / for his helpe and grace,
Sayenge: ‘blessed lorde / for thy endeles pyte
Defende me this daye / and saue my chastyte!’

401

And as she fledde / frome this cruell persone,
She ranne for socour / to a great oke-tree.
By grace the sayd tree / opened that same season,
Sufferynge this mayd / to haue sure and fre entree;
Wherby she escaped his / wycked tyrannye.
Whiche tree to this day / endurynge all the yere
By myracle is vernaunte / fresshe / grene / and clere.

402

Of the sayd oke-tree / is a famous opynyon:
That no man may entre / the sayd concauyte
In deedly synne bounden / without contrycyon;
But in clene perfyte lyfe / who-soeuer he be,
May entre the sayd oke / with fre lyberte.
And nygh to that place / a chyrche is now dedycate
In the honour of god / and werburge immaculate.
103

403

Many other myracles / our blessed sauyour
Shewed for this vyrgyn / of his goodnes,
Conforte to the people / in sekenes and langour
That to her wyll seke / in theyr dystresse.
Her excellent vertue / and great holynesse
By sygnes and myracles / were dayly manyfest
To many a creature / with peynes opprest.

404

The fame wherof sprange / so fast aboute,
Notyfyed playne / in all this regyon:
The people approched / withouten doubte
To knowe her blessed / and holy conuersacyon
And of these myracles / to haue probacyon,
By the syght wherof / they myght all gloryfy
With ioy and gladnesse / our lorde god almyghty.

405

There was no sekenesse / nor infyrmyte
That mankynde had / nor vexacyon,
But by her prayer / and humylyte
Makynge for them / to our lorde intercessyon
They were restaured / to helthe and saluacyon
All, by the meryte / of this vyrgyn pure,
A synguler refuge / vnto euery creature.

406

To the dombe was gyuen / speche and language,
To blynde theyr syght / to defe theyr herynge,
To halte and lame people / helthe, in euery aege,
By deuyne grace / and her ghostly lyuynge.
The people approchynge / nygh to her in dwellynge,
By cally[n]ge to her / in the name of Ihesu
Had theyr petycyon / by her synguler vertu.

407

Some other that were / fully possessed
With wycked spyrytes / vexynge the mynde,
Or with sekenes incurable / myserably greued,
104

By her dayly prayer / aboue course of kynde
Of theyr dyseases / they shulde remedy fynde,
And from her departe / in soule with gladnesse
Whiche to her came / sory in peyne and wretchednes.

How saynt Werburge gaue knowlege to her systers of her departure, & how she ordered in vertue her sayd monasteryes afore her dethe. Ca. xxvii.

408

This blessed abbesse / and vertuous floure,
The well of clennes / and humylyte,
Called to mynde / the wordes of our sauyour
Rehersed by Mathewe / in his euangely:
‘The vyctoryall crowne / of eterne glory
Is gyuen to them / that be redy eche houre,
Wysely attendynge / whan they be sende fore.’

409

This texte was euer / in her memoryall,
Prompte alway redy / as a true spouses
To wayte on her spouse / whan he wyll call,
Her lampe replete / with oyle of mekenes.
Synguler gyftes / she had of chrystes goodnes:
Inspyred with the spyryte / of prophecy,
Secrete thynges to come / knowynge therby.

410

She knewe the season / was hastely comynge
Of her departure / fro this lyfe mortall.
Wherfore she ordred / sadly euery thynge
Within her monasteryes / and charges spyrytuall,
Vysytynge her couent / with her presence personall
Gaue knowlege to them / that soone and hastely
She shulde departe / frome this lyfe transytory.

411

Afore her were called / the systers of yche place,
And were apoynted / who shulde succede
105

After to be gouernour / ruler / and abbesse
To the pleasure of god / and theyr ghostly mede;
Specyally commendynge / vertue, as we rede,
What meryte they shall haue / of god almyghty
In spyrytuall cures / that done well theyr duty.

412

All other offycers / within eche monastery
Were assygned by Werburge / theyr presydent,
And vnder obedyence / charged full depely
Theyr offyce to execute / vertue to augment,
For the synguler profyte / of all the couent.
She gaue to yche place / landes and possessyon
Suffycyently to serue / all the congregacyon.

413

Whan she had ordeyned / eche place in charyte,
Dyschargynge her conscyence / chargynge them all
To obserue relygyon / with perfyte humylyte
After her exemple / and doctryne pryncypall,
She had perfyte knowlege / by grace supernaturall
Her body shulde rest / in the place of Hamburgens
After her departure / by deuyne prouydens.

414

Wherfore she commaunded / the couent of Hambury
Wysely to attende / with all theyr dylygence
Vpon the ende / of her lyfe transytory,
Wheresoeuer it be / to come with benyuolence
And incontynent take / her body with reuerence
And brynge it shortly / vnto theyr monastery,
There to be tumylate / after her desydery.

415

As it pleaseth our lorde / and celestyall sufferayne
To sende to his seruaunte / his vysytacyon—
The day was apoynted / the houre incertayne
Of her departure / frome worldly vexacyon:
The messanger of dethe / the ende of trybulacyon,
106

Oppressed this lady / moost worthy fame
Ryght at her monastery / nomynat Trentame.

416

She thanked her maker / sayenge day and nyght
‘Well-come be the vysytacyon / of god almyghty.’
She called her systers / present afore her syght,
Her entente rehersynge / to them tenderly,
Desyrynge all them / to folowe dylygently
The lawes of god / with honour and reuerence
And to her counseyll / to gyue fully credence;

417

Sayenge: ‘dere byloued systers / in our sauyour,
O spyrytuall chyldren / my derlynges moost dere,
Whiche haue refused / all worldly honour
To serue our lorde / with herte and mynde clere,
Suffer no synne / in your soule to apere,
But wasshe it away / by bytter contrycyon,
With prayer, penaunce / and true confessyon.

418

‘And trust ye well, your true obedyence,
your chast lyuynge / and wylfull pouerte,
your dayly prayers / vygyls / and abstynence
That ye haue obserued / her vnder me,
Shalbe recompensed / a thousande-folde, trule,
Whan ye shalbe taken / fro this lyfe transytory;
your rewarde shalbe / with immortall glory.

419

‘As for my dethe / whiche approches nere,
I drede nothynge / tho nature ferefull be:
I knowe for certayne / who departeth well here
Is newe-borne agayne / to Ioye and felycyte.
Iche chrysten man hath / a threfolde natyuyte:
Fyrst of his parentes / by cours of nature
Borne to many troubles / and sorowes, sure;

420

‘By the seconde byrthe / whiche is more excellent,
107

At fonte of baptym / we haue regeneracyon,
By fayth professed / to god omnypotent
And made the chyldren / of ghostly saluacyon,
To auoyde by grace / all wycked temptacyon,
To be inherytours / of Ioy perpetuall,
Folowynge the counseyll / of holy chyrche withall;

421

‘The thyrde byrthe / moost ferefull and to be dredde,
Is whan the soule / departeth fro the body
To payne or blysse / and leues the corps dedde
To tourne agayne to erthe / to wast and putryfy.
In this thyrde byrthe / by callynge aferre for mercy
Our soule shall lyue in blysse / euerlastynge,
Crowned with vyctory / for our chast lyuynge.

422

‘The swete byrde, closed / in a cage a longe season,
Gladly entendeth / to fly at lyberte;
The prysoner fetered / and cast in depe dongeon
Euer supposes / to be rydde frome captyuyte:
The soule of mankynde / moost dygne of dutye,
Naturally desyreth / proued by reason,
To be delyuered / frome bodyly pryson.’

Of þe ghostli exortacyon saynt Werburge made to her systers in her sekenesse / and how deuoutely she receyued þe sacramentes of holy chyrche byfore her deth. Ca. xxviii.

423

The day knowen / to her by reuelacyon
Of her departure / by sygnes euydent,
She sende for all / the hole congregacyon,
And in presence / of all her holy couent
She called for the blessed sacrament;
To whome she sayd / with wordes expresse
With wepynge teeres / and great mekenesse:
108

424

‘Well-come my lorde / well-come my kynge,
Well-come my sufferayne / and sauyour,
Well-come my conforte / and ioy euerlastynge,
My trust / my treasure / my helpe and socour,
Well-come my maker / and my redemptour,
The sone of god / moost in maieste,
Withouten begynnynge / and endeles shalbe.

425

‘I byleue that thou / for all mankynde
Frome heuen descended / of thy charyte
And was incarnate / scrypture dothe mynde,
In the vyrgynall wombe / of blessed marye,
And suffered dethe / to make vs all fre,
Descended to hell / roose the thyrde day,
Ascended to heuen / and our raunson dyd pay;

426

‘And I knowlege to the / with pure entent:
On Shorpthursday / after thy passyon
Thy moost blessed body / in sacrament
Thou gaue to vs / for our communyon,
To be our defence / and ghostly tuycyon,
Now present here / in forme of breed,
To Iudge mankynde / bothe quycke and deed.

427

‘O sufferayne sauyour / replete with grace,
I the beseche / haue pyte vpon me
And in my soule / make a dwellynge-place,
Expulce all vyce / synne and mysery;
Defende my soule / frome our aduersary,
Saue and protecte me / from peynes infernall
And brynge thrugh thy mercy / to ioye perpetuall.’

428

Thus with reuerence / and great humylyte
She receyued / the blessed sacrament,
The seconde persone / in trynyte,
109

In perfyte fayth / hope / and loue feruent,
With great contrycyon / as it was apparent,
Her herte lyfte vp / to-warde heuen on hye
Abydynge the wyll / of god almyghty.

429

She exorted / her systers euerychone
That were there present / in companye,
Desyrynge them all / with supplycacyon
To remembre her / sayenge with humylyte:
‘My systers in god / now knowe may ye
My dayes ben ferre past / comynge is the houre.
Wherfore I betake you / fyrst to our sauyour;

430

‘Prayenge you tenderly / for the loue of me
In deuyne seruyce / loke ye contynu;
Obseruynge pacyence / mekenes / and chastyte,
Encresynge in relygyon / by the grace of Ihesu—
“Who-so perceuers / in herte and mynde true
Vnder obedyence / to the extreme day,
Is sure to be saued” / scrypture so doth say.

431

‘Also remembre / that all worldly royalte,
Honour / ryches / pleasure / possessyon,
If ye consyder / are but a vanyte,
Nothynge assured / to trust thereupon;
Wherfore dyspose you / to vertue alon
Whyle ye endure / in this lyfe mortall,
Tyll that ye come / to Ioy perpetuall.

432

‘Secondly’ she sayd / ‘systers, I you pray
Kepe well the order / of perfyte charyte,
Neuer declynynge / fro it by no way,
As ye haue taken / exemple of me;
Iche loue other / and worshyp in theyr degre,
So that no murmure / nor dyssymulacyon
Be founde amonge / this holy congregacyon.
110

433

Be euer lowly / humble / and obedyent
With due reuerence / worshyp and honoure,
Folowe the mynde / of your presydent,
Vnto your heed / and ghostly gouernoure.
Kepe well chastyte / that precyous floure,
So that no thought / of sensualyte
Corrupte your mynde / to breke vyrgynyte.

434

Se that ye vse / dyscrete temperaunce,
Abstenynge frome vayne superfluyte;
Se that amonge you / be founde no varyaunce,
Kepe well the degrees / of humylyte.’
These and many other / exemples of charyte
She taught her couent / of synguler deuocyon,
How they shulde optayne / to hye perfeccyon.

435

Thyrdly she prayed / sayenge with mynde dylygent:
‘O blessed sauyour / I desyre the
Saue and defende / my hole couent
And theyr monasteryes / of thy great pyte
Frome peryll of peryshynge / and frome enmyte,
That all the subiectes / of our congregacyon
May well obserue / theyr holy professyon.

436

‘And graunt me, swete lorde / throwe thy goodnes:
Who-so in thy name / vpon me dothe call
In langour / mysery / in peyne / or sekenes,
Also women with chylde / in peynes thrall,
May haue remedy / and helpe specyall;
And people in pryson / halte / blynde / and lame
By me may magnyfy / thy gloryous name.’

437

Than she requyred / with humylyte
The spyrytuall sufferage / of holy vnccyon,
Her soule to conforte / frome all aduersyte;
111

She toke her leue / and kyssed them ycheon.
Alas, what herte / myght shewe the lamentacyon,
The wepynge / waylynge / and wofull heuynes
At the departure / of theyr swete maystres?

Of the departure of saynt Werburge vnto heuen at the abbay of Trentam / fro this myserable lyfe / & what lamentacyon her systers made for her dethe. Ca. xxix.

438

In all her infyrmyte / peyne and busynesse
She vsed prayer / and medytacyon,
Callynge for mercy / by interyor mekenesse
With wepynge eyes / and great lamentacyon;
Remembrynge in herte / our lordes passyon;
Commendynge her couent / vnto our sauyour
To be theyr defence / ayde / and protectour.

439

The peynes encreased / of her infyrmyte,
The panges doubled / her peyne to augment,
Nature decayed / vnto suche debylyte
That the sygnes of dethe / appered euydent.
The houre approched / after all Iudgment:
Wherfore all thynges / were redy preparate,
As was conuenyent / for so noble a state.

440

Her spouse Ihesus / hauynge pyte and cure
Vpon his spouses / in extreme dystresse,
Wolde not suffer her peyne / longer endure,
But sende his angels / with great lyghtnesse
To conforte his seruaunt / in peyne and sekenesse,
To dyssolue her wo / and great penalte
And brynge vp her soule / to eterne felycyte.

441

There derknes was tourned / all vnto lyght,
Langour and trouble / vnto prosperyte,
112

The day was gouernour / ouer the nyght
Whan that she passed / this lyfe transytory,
Bondage and thraldome / were brought to lyberte.
The tyme of Ioye / and euerlastynge pleasure
Was approchynge to Werburge / euer to endure.

442

A multytude of angelles / shynynge moost clere
Were redy to gyde / with humble reuerence
The soule of werburge / as truly dyd apere,
And brought it to blys / vnto the hye presence
Of almyghty god / moost of magnyfycence,
Clerely releashed / frome peynes of purgatory
To be rewarded / with euerlastynge glory.

443

This blessed vyrgyn / gloryous and pure,
In stedfast fayth / hope / loue / and charyte
The thyrde day of February / ye may be sure,
Expyred frome this lyfe / caduce and transytory
To eterne blysse / coronate with vyctory,
Chaungynge her lyfe / myserable and thrall
For infynyte ioye / and glory eternall.

444

With moche honour / these spyrytuall mynysters
Conueyed the soule / aboue the fyrmament,
Passynge the seuen planettes / and all the sterres,
Vnto the presence / of god omnypotent,
Syngynge full swetely / theyr songes equyualent
Of pleasaunt armony / of conforte and blys,
Salutynge her mekely / with wordes reuerent
Veni dilecta: veni coronabiris.

445

The thre Ierarcheses / were redy present
With heuenly melody / to receyue this monyall,
The quere of vyrgyns / mette her incontynent
With great solempnyte / and processyon royall,
Presentynge her soule / with myrthes angelycall
113

To Ihesu, her spouse / to whome he sayd, truly,
‘Well-come, dere doughter / to blysse celestyall,
Intra in gaudium: domui tui.’

446

In meane tyme and space / this venerable body
(The soule departed) lay whyte / streyght / and colde,
Semynge as on slepe / she had ben, verely,
With swete odours fragrant / passynge manyfolde
All spyces and herbes / in erth may be tolde;
The place was so pleasaunt / full of delyce
Lyke as it had ben / an erthly paradyce.

447

This forsayd venerable congregacyon
With wepynge teeres / and syghes lamentable
Wasshed the swete body / after the olde custome,
And dressed the corps / with clothes honorable,
Prepared all necessaryes / pleasaunt and commendable;
To churche she was brought / solemply in syght,
With feruent deuocyon / to be watched all nyght.

448

And as they watched / with due mynystracyon
Ouer the sayd corps / deuoutly prayenge,
They made great mournynge / and lamentacyon
Euerychone to other / for her departynge;
‘Alas,’ they all sayd / with wofull waylynge,
‘Our solace / our helthe / is clere gone away!
Alas for sorowe / what shall we now say?

449

‘The sterre of our conforte / is extyncte clere,
The lanturne of our lyght / is taken vs fro,
The floure of chastyte / is layd vpon a bere,
The myrrour of mekenes / now lyeth full loo,
The treasure of relygyon / from vs now is ago.
Our sorowe encresed / wretchednes / and mysery,
Syth thou arte departed. / alas, what remedy?
114

450

‘Our hertes ben plonged / in great wo and peyne,
Our myndes are medled / with heuy langour;
How shulde we now rest / frome mornynge, certayne,
Beholdynge now deed / whylom our protectour?
Swete lady, thou art gone / frome vs for euermore;
Our deedly sorowe / replete with bytternes,
For waylynge and wepynge / can neuer ceas.

451

‘With herte, mynde and voyce / to the we do call:
O blessed Werburge / our moost dere maystres,
O sufferayne lady / and ruler of vs all,
Why hase thou vs lefte / in suche heuynesse?
If thy wyll had ben / it is knowen expresse,
Thou myght haue taryed / with vs by petycyon.
Alas, remedylesse / is our lamentacyon!

452

‘Frome vs thou arte taken / and gone is our solace,
The myrrour of vertue / is deed now with the,
The tryed stock of truth / and the grounde of grace
Is pyteously decayed / our hope and sufferaynte.
O blessed sauyour / vpon vs haue pyte,
Sende vs our conforte / by thy great myght agayne
As thou hase reysed many / from dethe to lyfe, certayne.

453

‘O dredefull dethe / cruell enemy to nature,
With dolefull heuynes / on the we may complayne,
Takynge our heed frome vs / to our great dysconfyture,
Hath brought vs to thraldome / wofulnes and peyne;
Nother kynge ne emperour / thy fauour may optayne,
But he must departe / arested with thy launce.
Thanke we god of all / for it is his pleasaunce.’
115

How the hamburgenses toke the blessed body of Werburge frome Trentam by myracle & brought it to Hambury / & of þe buryall of werburge / & of manyfolde myracles shewed for her merytes .ix. yere after her translacyon. Ca. xxx.

454

This gloryous vyrgyn / and moost blessed abbace
Departed from this lyfe / caduce and transytory
(As afore is sayd) the yere and tyme of grace
Almoost seuen hundreth / the thyrde day of February,
To celestyall blysse / and infynyte glory;
Her subiectes oppressed / with wylfull pensyuenesse,
With great trybulacyon / care and heuynesse.

455

But where werburge gaue / in commaundyment
To bury her corps / at place of Hambury,
As was the wyll / of our lorde omnypotent;
Her subiectes of Trentam / whiche had her body,
Purposed her wyll / and entent to deny,
Prepared to kepe / the corps by stronge hande,
With them to remayne / as ye shall vnderstande.

456

The sayd people of Trentam / watched full dylygent
Her corps, fulfyllynge / the obsequyes funerall,
Entendynge to auoyde / and frustrate her testament
Gate a great company / by power Marcyall,
Closed fast theyr doores / and gates one and all,
Made sure yche place / by theyr prouydens
For to kepe the corps / excludynge Thamburgens.

457

But, as Salomon sayth / sentencyously,
‘There may be no counseyll / power ne prudence,
Wysedome of man / nor naturall polycy,
To derogate or chaunge / deuyne sentence;’
Proued euer[y] day / by true experyence:
116

‘Tho mankynde prepose / his mynde to fulfyll,
yet god dysposeth / all thynge at his wyll.’

458

And as they watched / the same sayd nyght
Moost busyly / to execute they[r] wyll and entent,
By deuyne prouydence / passynge mannes myght
Sodeynly on slepe / was all that couent,
Theyr company and mynysters / that were there lent,
Hauynge no power / for to waken, doubtles;
God so prouyded / for theyr great maystres.

459

Than shortly resembled / vnto that sayd place
The people of Hamburgens / a great company,
With the mynysters of god / people full of grace:
And anone by the wyll / of our lorde almyghty
The lockes and the barres / of that sayd monastery
Fell downe to the grounde / by power supernall,
Without mannes hande / that enter they myght all.

460

Whiche myracle proued / the people of Hambury
Entred Trentam abbay / with mynde reuerent,
And founde there on slepe / all the other company,
Man / woman / and chylde / all that were present.
They kneled all downe / and worshypped the sacrament,
Praysynge our maker / of theyr good spede,
Theyr specyall socour / euer at theyr nede.

461

Her blessed body / from Trentam they dyd take,
Gladly departynge / out of the monastery—
Nother man nor woman / had power to wake,
Tyll they were passed / all greuous Ieopardy;
Magnyfyenge our lorde / of his grace deuoutly,
Solemply syngyng their songes celestiall
With infinite gladnes / and comfort spirituall.

462

After all this done / this holy congregacion
117

With reuerence / honour / and solempnite,
With wepynge tearis / for pure affection,
With lamentable songes / masse and dirige
Buried the corps / of this blessed ladie
Right in the chauncell / of the sayd abbay,
There bodily to rest / as her wyll was alway.

463

All obsequies ended / therto belongynge
As was agreable for suche a president,
The systers departed / with clamour and mournynge,
Plonged in heuynes / and to their celles went,
To wepe and wayle secretly / their hartis to content,
Criynge: ‘alas, alas / nowe buried haue we
The exemple of vertu / mekenes / and chastite!’

464

And as the history of her lyfe / doth expresse
In a boke nominat / the thrid Passionary,
After the buriall of this patronesse
The place was decorat / with myracles many,
Manifest to the people / of euery progeny
Howe god almyghty of his speciall grace
Hath done for his seruant / in short tyme and space.

465

For many people greued with infirmite,
Dolorous of hert / and interiour tribulacion,
Heuynes of mynde / or other penalite,
To her graue resortyng / with feruent deuocion,
Sekynge for remedy / with great contricion,
Anon by her prayer / vnto our sauyour
They were released from peyne and langour.

466

Also by her merite, suffrage and peticion
Euery humble creature had helpe and succour;
To distract persons / was yelded reason,
wikked spirites expulsed were that same hour,
Impotent and feble to helth she dyd restour,
118

Halt and lame had passage / the blynde had perfect syght,
The dombe had speche / the deffe herynge ryght.

467

Women with childe / beynge in great ieopardy,
Namely in trauelyng / greued with wo and payne,
Whan they myght nat come / sendyng to her oratorye,
Makynge true oblacion / restaured were, certayne,
To helth and prosperite / from wo delyuered playne;
And if they obteyned a relique from the place,
The mother and childe / by it founde speciall grace.

468

The deuout pilgrym / the perfit maryner,
The true laborer / the marchant with richesse,
The carefull pore man / the peynfull prisoner
Were sondry tymes delyuered from wo and distresse;
Men / women / childer / sekynge with mekenes
This glorious virgyn / with humble supplicacion,
Founde soone remedie / helpe and consolacion.

A litle breue rehersall of her lyfe / and howe for her myracles shewed þe couent of Hambury purposed to translate her body / by the helpe of Mercyens. Ca. xxxi.

469

This gloryous lady / and gemme of holynesse
Of fyue myghty kynges / descended lynyally,
A prynces / an enherytryce / replete with mekenes
Refused all pleasures / pompe / and vayne glory,
Entred relygyon / professed at Ely,
A spectacle of vertue / dwellynge in that place
And a floure of chastyte / electe by synguler grace.

470

Her honorable vncle / kynge Ethelrede,
Consyderynge her vertue / and hye deuocyon
Made her gouernour / for ghostly helthe and mede
Ouer all the monasteryes / within his regyon,
119

For the sure encresement / of perfyte relygyon;
Foure of these monasteryes / we haue in memory:
As Wedon / Trentam / Repton / and Hambury.

471

Whan she was ruler / and chefe presydent
Of these sayd places / vnder god almyghty,
Than vertue and goodnes / dayly dyd augment
By heuenly grace / to the soule-helthe of many,
And by her exemple / and doctryne ghostly
Kynges / lordes / barons / refusynge theyr royalte
Entred relygyon / with great humylyte.

472

Her lyfe and doctryne / agreed bothe in one,
Proued in effecte / by specyall gyftes of grace:
Many she conuerted / vnto contemplacyon,
To prayer and penaunce / whyle they had here space.
Her couent and subiectes / within euery place
By her excellent vertue / and hye dyscrecyon
Were gratiously gouerned / for theyr saluacion.

473

Her dwellynge was most at the place of Wedon,
Where many myracles were shewed openly;
And at Trentam abbay / of her foundacion,
From peyne she departed to eternall glory;
After her entent was buried at Hambury;
Of whom it may be sayd / ‘here lyeth nowe present
A princesse / a virgin / a nonne / and a president.’

474

The deuout couent of her congregacion,
Whiche hath long wayled / with sorowfull payne,
Nowe haue great cause to make consolacion
And gyue due honour to our lorde and sufferayne,
Knowynge that Werburge / in blysse is nowe, certayne,
For them all dayly a true mediatrice
In the heuynly trone / afore the hie Iustice.
120

475

Our sauiour Iesus / graunter of all goodnes,
Consyderyng the mekenes / and pure virginite
Of Werburge his spouse / and proued holynes,
By speciall grace / preserued her body
To his laude and honour / his name to magnifye,
Both hole and sounde / from naturall resolucion,
As her soule was clere from vice and corruption.

476

This immaculat mayde / shenyng more bryght
Than radiant phebus in the triumphant trone,
With the quere of virgins / prayseth day and nyght
The blessed trinite with due adoracion,
Of perpetuall pleasure hauyng the fruycion,
A singular intercessour for her seruauntes all
That here in erth mekely to her wyll call.

477

And though her body do rest nowe in graue,
yet notable signes contynually be done:
Some warned in their slepe comfort to haue
By visityng her place / callynge her vpon,
With contrite hert makyng true oblacion.
Whiche thynge contynued by space of .ix. yere
With meruailous myracles euydent and clere.

478

The couent, consyderyng suche great company
From diuers partes / resortynge to theyr place
In pylgrimage to Werburge / for helpe and remedy,
Entended to translate this glorious abbasse,
To exalte her body replet with great grace
To her great honour / comfort to eche creature—
Pite that suche a relique shulde lye in sepulture.

479

To the prayes and honour of god omnipotent
And of saint Werburge laude and reuerence
The couent and the people by one assent
121

Desired Coelrede, than kynge of merciens,
For aide in this case / helpe and diligence.
(Whiche thynge graunted) the day appointed was;
The clergy and the comons reioised with solace.

Of the solempne translacion of this glorious virgyn saynt Werburge / and of the great myracles done at the sayd season by the myght of god and merite of this gracious lady. Cap. xxxii.

480

At the day appoynted of her translacion
Kyng Coelred and his counsell were redy-present,
With bysshops, and the clergy, men of deuocion,
Her systers and subiettes, a religious couent;
The comon people from eche place thider went
With great gladnes / the hole for pleasure gostly,
The seke and impotent for helth and remedy.

481

The bysshops and clergy stode vpon one parte
Of her holy graue / and her systers echone,
Syngynge and praysynge the blessed trinite;
The kyng and his counsell with great deuocion
Stode on the other parte in contemplacion.
The graue was opened, eleuat was the chest
Wherin her holy corps .ix. yere fully dyd rest.

482

Whan this sayd monument discouered was,
Suche a suauite and fragrant odoure
Ascended from the corps by singular grace,
Passyng all wordly swetnes and sauour,
That all there present that day and hour
Supposed they had ben / in the felicite
Of erthely paradise / without ambiguite.

483

And as eche man thought by naturall reason
Nothyng shulde remayn of that blessed body
122

But the bare boones / all els to resolucion:
The couerture remoued by the sayd clergy,
The corps hole and sounde was funde, verely,
Apperyng to them / on slepe as she had ben,
Nothyng depaired / that ther coude be seen.

484

Her vesture appered hole, clere and white,
No parte consumed / for all the longe space,
Fragrant in odoure / repleit with delite,
As at the fyrst season whan she buried was;
But whan discouered was her swete face,
Beautye appered more white than the lile,
Mixt with rose colour / moost faire for to se.

485

Her louely countenaunce / so comly to beholde,
And her swete fisnomy / with fairenes decorat
As fresshely apparant / moost pleasant to be tolde,
As at the fyrst day / whan she was tumulat.
No doubt therof / for she, with synne nat maculat,
Vsyng all her lyfe in clennes and virginite,
From bodily corruption / by grace must saued be.

486

The clergy, yet serchyng more diligently
Her precious body / and interiour vesture,
Eleuat the corps full reuerently
With moche worchip, honour and cure,
Founde nothynge perisshed in shap nor figure
For all the long space, tyme and contynuaunce
She lay in sepulture by diuine ordynaunce.

487

Whiche famous myracle / notified so clere,
The clergy with her systers in ioy and honour,
The kyng and his counsell all therat present were,
With voice melodious made a great clamour,
Praysyng and magnifiying our blessed sauiour
With celestiall songes / and hymnes full of blys,
123

Deuoutly rehersyng / with all their deuour
Mirabilis deus in sanctis suis.

488

With that the comon rude people euerychone
In the sayd churche-yarde standyng without,
Heryng the clergy syng with suche deuocion,
Towarde heuen they cried / and busely dyd shout,
The space of .iii. houres / or nere there-about,
Worshippyng our lorde / with voice shrill and loude
In hert, wyll and mynde / as well as they coude.

489

After all this done / her blessed body
Was wasshed and reclothed with vesture precious
By the sayd couent of the place of Hambury.
The bysshops were reuesshed in pontificalibus,
And all the clergy syngyng with voice melodious
Kneled all downe and gaue due reuerence,
Honour and worship to her corporall presence.

490

Thus they resceyued with perfit humilite
This sacrat relique, hole and substanciall,
And layd it in a shryne with great solempnite,
Enowrned with riches sumptuous and roiall,
Prepared by the kyng / and ordeyned inspeciall,
Entendyng that this relique and gostly treasure
Perpetually with them shulde remayne and endure.

491

People oppressed with greuous infirmite,
Distract persons / halt, blynde and lame,
Resortynge to her shryne with humilite
Shortly were cured by callynge of her name;
Impotent creatures (the legende sayth the same)
Touchyng her tumbe / were cured from payne;
Whiche tumbe remayneth at Hambury, certayne.

492

After she was translate / knowen it is well,
124

The clergy to procession / went after to mas,
Honoryng and praysyng / the kyng of Israell
And blessed Werburge / with moche solace.
Whan diuine seruice duely ended was,
The bisshops gaue theyr holy benedictions;
The people departed glad to their mansions.

493

This holy sayd fest of her translacion
Was ordeyned and celebrate with solemnite,
As sayeth Ranulphus in his policronicon,
About the yere of grace .vii. hundreth and .viii., sothle,
The .xi. Kalendas of the moneth Iulii;
Regnyng in mercelande the said Kyng Coelrede,
Than bysshop of Lichefelde was Hedda / as we rede.

Howe the body of saynt Werburge contynued hole / and substanciall at Hambury after the translacion by the space of two hundreth yeres / tyll the danes were comon to this lande / or it felle and was resolued vnto powder. The .xxxiii. Chapitre.

494

This rutilant gemme and specious floure
Hole and substanciall remayned at Hambury
Two hundreth yeres in beaute and colour,
By singular grace / and angelicall custodye,
Tyll the danes were comon of malice and misery,
Of ire and myschief / as we vnderstande;
We meane the comyng of pagans to this lande.

495

Whiche danes by sufferaunce and dispensacion
Of almyghty god / for synne and iniquite
Punysshed vnpiteously all this region
with a wofull plage of great crudelite,
The sharpe swerde of deth / hauynge no pite,
Spared no creature / prest nor religious,
Long tyme duryng in their malice odious.
125

496

Than this vitall glebe by diuine ordinaunce
Voluntary permytted naturall resolution,
Lest the cruell gentils / and wiked myscreauntes
With pollute handes full of corrupcion
Shulde touche her body / by indignation;
Whiche pagans were enemyes to our lorde Iesu,
Rebels to holy churche, vnfeithful and vntrue.

497

Howe-be-it the power of our swete sauyour
Myght haue continued the body of his syruant
All that longe season in worshyp and honour,
As he preserued of his grace abundaunt
Many sayntes of this realme hole, fresshe and vernant
viii. hundreth yeres agon / to this present day,
And like so to endure / hole and clere alway.

498

Sothely to considre / our lorde omnipotent,
Glorious in his sayntes / scripture doth specifie,
Of his diuine prouidence / pleasure and intent
Some haue resolued / for the greatter glorie
Of their resurrection for the tyme, truly,
Some other to continue without corruption,
To the true example of his promission.

499

Many holy martyrs / for Christ haue byn slayne,
The hie prestis of god murdred cruelly,
Some with wylde bestes deuoured, in certayne,
Some cast in fiers, on cooles to broyle and fry,
Vpon many other byrdes fedyng openly—
Of whom the prophet clerely doth reherce:
‘The more peyne here and wo / the more glory, doubtles.’

500

The glorious martyr Stephan (as is red)
In this present lyfe dyd myracles many,
Neuertherles / he raised no people that were deed;
126

But after the resoluynge of his blessed body
He raised deed men to lyfe agayne, truely,
That the great power of lyfe myght sprynge
From iniurie of deth / by our heuen kynge.

501

Great was the respect of diuyne grace
In the body of Werburge / without resolucion,
Shewed by her myracles / for mannes helth and solace;
But greatter was the hope of the eterne renouacion
In her body resolued to naturall consumption,
Whiche for her merites to this present day
Helpeth all her seruantes that to her wyll praye.

502

Therfore worshyp we with singular deuocion
The holy lyuynge of this virgin gratious;
For why / all the halowynge of her conuersacion
Belongeth to the honour of our lorde Iesus,
Whiche of his grace hath made her so glorious
And graunteth his mercy / and of synne remyssion
To all them / for whom / she maketh intercession.

503

Blessed pure virgin / moines and abbasse,
O venerable werburge / mekely we the pray,
Make thou supplycacyon / to the graunter of grace,
After this lyfe present / that all we may
Come to heuen-blysse / whiche lasteth for ay,
There to beholde / the gloryous trynyte,
To whom be laude / worshyp / honour / & endeles glorye.
131

[BOOK II.]

The prologe of the translatour of this lytell treatyse in the seconde boke.

1

Now whan we consyder / with mynde dylygent
The merueylous maners / & synguler condycion
Of the comyn people / symple and neclygent,
Whiche without lytterature / and good informacyon
Ben lyke to Brute beestes / as in comparyson,
Rude / wylde / and boystous / by a prouerbe, certan,
‘Good maners and conynge / maken a man.’

2

Saynt Paule sayth / shewynge to the Romans
How all thynge wryten / in holy scrypture
Is wryten for our doctryne / and ghostly ordynans,
For our great conforte / and endeles pleasure.
All thynge is knowen playnly / by lytterature,
Morall vertues / be noted by it full playne
Frome vyce and neclygence / to abstayne, certayne.

3

What were mankynde / without lytterature?
Full lytell worthy / blynded by ignoraunce.
The way to heuen / it declareth ryght sure
Thrugh perfyte lyuynge / and good perseueraunce;
132

By it we may be taught / for to do penaunce
Whan we transgresse / our lordes commaundyment;
It is a swete cordyall / for mannes entent.

4

How shulde the seuen / scyences lyberall
Haue ben preserued / vnto this day,
The wysdome / of the phylosophers all,
But alone by lernynge / it is no nay.
The notable actes / of our fathers, I say,
(yf litterature were nat) myght nat nowe be tolde,
Nor auncient histories and cronycles olde.

5

The lawe of ciuile / and of holy canon
By study be preferred with moche honour
To execute iustice / and for due reformacion;
The most blessed doctrine of our sauiour,
The actis of the apostoles / with the doctours four,
Be preserued by wrytyng / and put in memorie,
With the lyues of saintes many a noble storie.

6

Of whiche histories we purpose speciall
To speke of saint Werburge / vnder your protection,
Declaryng the ende of her lyfe historiall
As we haue begon / and made playne mencion
In the fyrst volume by breue compilacion,
There playnly descriuyng her liniall discens
Of .iii. myghty kyngdomes by true experience;

7

Also we haue shewed in the sayd littell boke
Her goodly maners / and vertuous disposicion
Of her yonge age / who-so lyst theron to loke;
And howe her bretherne suffred martyrdome;
Of her fathers realme a litell discripcion;
Howe she was professed in the place of Ely;
Of her conuersacion within the sayd monastery;
133

8

After for her vertue / howe she was made abbasse
Of diuers monasteries, flouryng in vertue;
And of the great miracles whiche there done was
For her great charite / by the grace of Iesu;
Howe diuers of her kynrede dyd clerely exchewe
All wordly pleasures and honours transetory,
Professynge obedience at the place of Ely;

9

Also we haue shewed vnder your licence
Of her departure from this lyfe mortall,
And of her sepulture at the place of Hamburgence;
The manyfolde myracles shewed by grace supernall,
The wofull lamentacion of her systers all;
And howe after .ix. yere of her translacion
By diuine ordinaunce miracles were done.

10

We humble require you of your charite
To this seconde abstract to graunt pardon,
Consyderynge we omytte whilom the historie
And speke of cronicles / makyng a digression;
It is of no ignoraunce / nor presumption,
But to enlarge the mater and sentence,
To gladde the auditours / and moue their diligence.

11

In oure seconde boke expresse nowe wyll we,
Vnder your licence and speciall tuicion,
Of this blessed virgin / flourynge in chastite,
Why and wherfore she came to Chestre towne,
Principally by miracle / and diuine prouision,
And howe for synne / vice / and wykednes
Danes oppressed this lande with wretchednes,

12

And howe she was receyued at Chestre citie;
Of the fyrst foundacion of towne and the place;
Of the great myracles there shewed openlie
134

To chanons and monkes / by singular grace,
Vnto euery creature in extreme case,
Howe Werburge delyuered the towne from enmite,
From dredfull fire / and plages of miserye.

13

Also encronicled foloweth here expresse
A brefe compilacion of kynge Edwarde seniour,
Of kyng Ethelstam / the great worthynes,
Of humble kyng Edgare regnyng as emperour,
Of his comyng to Chestre / of his great honour;
And howe Erle Leofrice repared of his charite
The mynstre of Werburge, gyuyng therto liberte;

14

Of the seconde foundacion of the sayd monastery
From secular chanons to monkes religious
Soone after the conquest, sayth the historye,
By the erle of Chestre nominat Hug. Lupus,
With counsell and helpe of blessed Anselmus;
And of the great compas of the sayd abbay,
Enuired with walles myghty to assay;

15

How Richard erle of Chestre by myracle ryght
Was preserued from daunger of Walshemen,
And howe he was drowned about mydnyght
Purposyng to distroye the monastery, certen.
Celestiall signes were shewed to men and women,
To children and innocentes by singular grace
Of blessed Werburge, patronesse of the place:

16

These miracles specified / and many other mo
This virgin shewed within Chestre cite,
Whiche at this tyme we let ouer go,
Lest to the reders tedious it shulde be.
Almyghty god, both one two and thre,
Sende vs of theyr grace to make a good ende:
Helpe, lady Werburge, this warke to amende.
135

Of the comynge of cruell pagans to this lande / and howe saint Werburge longe lyenge hole and incorrupt at Hambury, than was resolued to pouder. And howe the kynge of merciens was chased from his lande. Ca. i.

17

Afore the comyng of danes to this lande
Merueilous signes were shewed in syght,
To conuert the people (as we vnde[r]stande):
Sterres in the heuen shynyng full bryght,
Dyuersly mouynge apperyng day and nyght,
Rennynge in the ayre dredfull to beholde,
By longe continuaunce, sayth the story olde;

18

Flamyng fire / dragons in the ayre fleynge,
Thondryng / and layth / erth-quake moost terrible,
With many other signes / as cometis blasynge,
Were seen in the ayre / to nature horrible;
Vpon clothynge of people bloddy dropes odible
Euydently appered: the yere of grace
vii. hundreth .lxxxvi. in many a place.

19

By whiche sayd signes wonderfull to se
Two plages of pestilence folowed incontinent:
The first was great derthes, hungre and pouerte,
The seconde was the greuous and sore punysshement
Of the cruell danes, cursed and fraudulent;
Whiche trouble began to .iiii. yere of Bricticus,
Kyng of westsaxon[s] / saith maister Alfridus.

20

The thyrde yere folowyng these signes, in certen,
Danes and Norwaies enterprised this lande,
In the north partie, an hoost of armed men,
Whiche cruelly spoiled and distroied holy Ilande,
With Tynmouth abbay / and all that myght be fonde,
136

Drowned and slewe the people euerychone,
Brenned churches / townes / spared no religion.

21

In short tyme after the prenominate pagans
At tamysmouth reentred this realme agayne,
Destroyed many cites by their myghty ordynaunce,
Oppressed London / Canturbury by power, certayne;
The kynge of Merciens to escape was fayne;
Kyng Adoulfus made the danes a batell,
To whiche kyng by grace the victorye befell.

22

yf ye wyll consydre the cause wherfore and why
Our lorde suffred pagans to punysshe this region,
The treuth was this: for synne specially.
For in the primatiue churche / with great perfection
Kynges / quienes / dukes entred religion,
Professed obedient, chaste, without propurte,
Vertue to encrease / true loue and charite:

23

That tyme was iustice ministred with mercy,
True loue and amite founde in euery place;
Dissimulacion / pride and fals enuye
Durst nat appere in halle nor in palace,
Extorcion, pollynge opteyned no grace;
The commaundementes of god were obserued a-ryght,
Charite was feruent / encreasynge day and nyght.

24

By proces of tyme / as sayth myn auctour,
Through great possession / power / and liberte
Vertue decreased in holy churche day and houre,
Holy religion decayed pitiousle,
Charite was colde / iustice and equite,
Extorcion, disceyte were vsed euery day,
Couetise / pride / lechery were ryued alway:

25

Therfore our lorde of his great ryghtwisnes
137

Suffred cruell people to entre this region,
A scourge, to correct synne and wykednes;
Like a swarme of bees from dyuers nacion,
Whiche had no pite, mercy nor compassion:
Danes, Gotes, Norwayes, and scottes also,
Pictes and the wandeles, with mony other mo.

26

These foresayd fearfull and cruell nacions,
Moost cruell pagans, dyd great persecucion,
From the begynnyng of Adelwlfe, kyng of westsaxons,
Tyll the comynge of normans vnto this region,
The space enduryng by full computacion
Two hundreth yeres complet .xxx. also,
With the swerde of vengeaunce, fire and moche wo.

27

The yere of our lorde .D.CCC. fyfty and one
At Tamysmouth arriued a great hoost of pagans
With .iii. hundreth ships, and .l. men of armes echone;
Whiche destroied Douer / and put the lande to greuans;
Agayne Bernulphus, the kyng of Mercians,
The paynyms preuayled / and caused his hoost to fle;
Whiche fortune enforced them more bolder to be.

28

But the yere of grace .D.CCC. sixe and sixtie
The greattest noumbre of the pagans all,
viii. kynges, entred this realme by victorie,
Norwaies / gootes / Wandels / danes in especiall,
With many other nacions within in generall;
Kyng Hingware and Hubba than came to this lande,
Whiche slewe saint Edmunde, kyng of Estenglande.

29

The cruell paynyms and tyrauntes moost furious,
Repleit with malice / pride / and enuye,
Seruauntes to satan and ministres malicious,
Purposed to desolate holy churche wyckedly:
Brenned monasteries and spoiled vtterly
138

Many churches, chapels, of a mortall hate,
Slewe religious men, and nonnes dyd violate.

30

The people were punysshed in euery place;
To olde, sicke and impotent they shewed no mercy,
yonge soukyng children coude fynde no grace,
Wyddowes and wyues were put to vilany,
Maydens were corrupt / and slayne chamfully.
So all this realme endured confusion,
Put to greuous peyne / deth / and affliction.

31

After these infidels had ben at London
And there accomplisshed theyr cruell entent,
They soone proceded towarde Lincoln̄ region,
From thens directly with hasty iugement
To the realme of Merciens, noble and auncient,
Right vnto Repton, where the kynge lay;
Robbyng and spoilynge all in theyr way.

32

This kynge of Mercelande, called Burdredus,
Regnyng .xxii. yere vpon the merciens,
Was clerely expulsed by the pagans furious,
And went vnto rome with pure conscience;
Where he is buried by diuine prouidence—
Whiche kyng was cosyn by discent liniall
To blessed Werburge so glorious and pudicall.

33

This gracious virgin and preelect abbasse,
Buried at Hambury (as is sayd before)
Continued incorrupt and hole in that place
In vesture and body .ii. hundreth yere and more;
But whan the danes came with suche rigour
To Repton abbay / than she was resolued,
And of deuocion full richely shryned.
139

Howe the people of Hambury brought the shryne to Chestre / and of the solemne receyuyng of it by all the inhabitauntes of Chesshyre. Cap. ii.

34

In meane tyme the danes pitously destroyed
The monasteries of Werburge / Trentam & Wedon,
As they many other places had euyll oppressed
In the north and eest part of this region;
The kyngdome of Kent suffred lyke punicion,
The Ile of Wyght endured moche turment:
So dyd the Westmarches / for punysshement.

35

The people of Hambury, wysely consyderyng
The comynge of danes vnto Repton,
And of the departure of Burdred, theyr kyng,
Howe all Englande was in great affliction,
And howe they were next to endure punicion—
Whiche forsayd Repton was distaunt from Hambury
The space of .v. mile, sayth the history—

36

The Hamburgenses with all the comons and clergy,
Dredynge full sore the pagans flagellacions,
Of their lyues desperate / but for the shryne specially,
To our blessed sauiour made dayly inuocacions
With vigils, prayers and feruent meditacions,
To preserue the countrey / the relique / the shryne
From daunger of enmite and miserable ruyne.

37

As they continued in cotidian prayer,
The best remedie sekyng for to fynde
To auoide vexacion and all greuous daunger
Of theyr great ennemies cursed and vnkynde,
The holy goost inspired theyr mynde
To take the shryne with great humilite
And brynge it to Chestre from perill and enmyte.
140

38

They toke this riall relique of reuerence
With great mekenes, deuocion and feruour,
Through the grace of god, theyr helpe and defence,
Came to-warde Chester with diligence and honour—
A place preordinat by our sauiour
Where her body shulde rest and worshipped be,
Magnified with miracles next our ladie.

39

Whan the clergie of Chestre and the citeȝens
Herde tell of the comynge of this noble abbasse,
They made preparacion and great diligence,
In theyr best-maner worship and solace
To mete this relique of singular grace;
The great estates / and rulers of the countray
Were redy to honour saint Werburge that day.

40

First was ordeyned a solemne procession,
With crosses / and baners / and surges clere lyght,
The belles were tolled for ioye and deuocion;
The ministres of god in coopes redy dight,
With censours of siluer / to encense her body right;
All prestis and clerkes redy to say and synge
Proceded in ordre / this holy virgin praysyng.

41

Next to the clergie approched in degree
The lordes of the shyre, knyghtes, barons, all
With feruent deuocion / praysyng the trinite
Whiche sent to them suche comfort spirituall.
The citeȝens ensued with gladnes cordiall,
With bokes and beades / magnifieng our maker
For this great treasure to kepe them from daunger.

42

Venerable virgins next sette in ordre clere,
With lilies in theyr handes / coronate with chastite,
Good widowes and wyues appoynted well were,
141

Gyuynge true thankes vnto this virgin fre.
Nex[t] them assemble all the commonte
In all goodly maner, dyuised by discrecion,
Praysynge saynt Werburge with humiliacion.

43

Whan they approched to her hie presence
And comon were afore this relique most riall,
They kneled all downe with mycle reuerence,
Salutynge the shryne with honour victoriall,
Magnifiyng with melodye and tunys musicall
This glorious virgin / nothyng done amis,
Syngynge Te deum to the kyng of blysse.

44

The lordes / the citeȝins / and all the commons
Mekely submytted them-selfe to the shryne,
With manyfolde prayses and humble supplicacions,
With interiour loue / and morall discipline,
Trustyng all in her to saue them from ruyne,
From greuous daunger / and cruell enmite
By her entercession vnto the trinite.

45

They gaue due thankes vnto this abbasse,
Deuoutly sayenge knelyng vpon kne:
‘Welcome, swete lady, replet with grace,
The floure of mekenes / and of chastite,
The cristall of clennes and virginite;
Welcome thou art to vs euerychone,
A speciall comfort for vs to trust vpon!

46

‘Welcome, swete princesse / kynges doughter dere,
Welcome, faire creature / and rose of merciens,
The diamonde of dignite / and gemme shenyng clere,
Virgin and moiniall of mycle excellence;
Welcome, holy abbasse of hie preeminence,
The rutilant saphire of syncerite,
Welcome, swete patronesse, to Chestre cite!
142

47

‘Thou art our refuge / and singular succour,
Oure sure tuicion, next to the trinite,
Oure speciall defence at euery houre
To releue thy seruauntes in all necessite;
Thou art our solace and helpe in eche degre,
Oure ioye / trust / and comfort / and goostly treasure:
Welcome to this towne, for euer to endure!’

48

Agaynst her comynge into Chestre cite
The stretes were strawed with flours fragrant,
The mancions and halles edified rialle
Were hanged with arras precious and pleasaunt,
Torches were caried on eche syde flagrant;
Also ouer the shryne was prepared a canaby
Of cloth of golde and tissewe riche and costly.

49

Thus with great worship, decoure and dignite
Of all the clergie, lordis and citeȝens
She was receyued with great humilite
Into the cite with humble reuerence,
The clergie syngyng with mycle diligence,
The comons prayeng with loue feruent,
Folowynge this relique after their entent.

50

In procession they passed all in to the towne,
With ioye and great gladnes, ye may be sure,
In ordre togyther, in charite and deuocion,
Praysyng our sauiour and this virgin pure;
They brought full solemple with gostly p[l]easure
This riall relique to the moost noble place
Within all the cite, as our lordes wyll was.

51

This seconde translacion of this virgin bright
From Hambury abbay vnto Chestre cite
Was celebrate, with ioye and gladnes full right,
143

The yere of our saueour in his humanite
viii. hundreth complet .v. and seuentie;
Alured regned than kyng of this region,
Victorious and liberall / coronate at London.

52

This kyng deuyded in .iii. partes his richesse:
One parte to the poore, the seconde to religion,
The thyrde part to scholers / the fourth to bild churches;
And of a day naturall / he made trium diuision:
viii. houres to rede and praye with feruent deuocion,
viii. houres occupied with businesse naturall,
And other .viii. houres to rule his realme riall.

A litel descripcion of the foundacion of Chestre / and of the abbay-churche within the sayd cite / where ye holy shryne by grace remayneth. Cap. iii.

53

Two cites of legions in cronicles we fynde:
One in south-Wales / in the tyme of Claudius
Called Caeruska / by britons had in mynde,
Orels Caerleon / buylded by kyng Belinus;
Where somtyme was a legion of knyghtes chiualrous.
This cite of legions was whilom the bysshops se
Vnto all south-wales / nominat Wenedocie.

54

Another cite of legions we may fynde also
144

In the west part of Englande / by the water of Dee,
Called Caerlleon of britons longe ago,
After named Chestre, by great auctorite;
Iulius the emperour sende to this sayd cite
A legion of knyghtes / for to subdue Irelande;
Like-wyse dyd Claudius (as we vnderstande).

55

The founder of Chestre / as sayth Policronicon,
Was Lleon Gauer / a myghty stronge gyaunt,
Whiche buylded caues and dongions many one,
No goodly buyldyng / propre ne pleasaunt;
But the Kynge Leil, a briton sure and valiaunt,
Was founder of Chestre by pleasaunt buyldyng,
And of Caerleil also / named by the kynge.

56

Ranulphus in his cronicle yet doth expresse
The cite of Chestre edified for to be
By the noble romans prudence and richesse
Whan a legion of knyghtes was sende to the cite,
Rather than by the wysdome of Britons or policie;
Obiectyng clere agaynst the britons fundacion,
Whiche auctour resteth in his owne opinion.

57

Kyng Marius, a bryton, regnyng in prosperite
In the West partie of this noble region,
Ampliat and walled strongly Chestre cite
And myghtyly fortified the sayd foundacion.
Thus eche auctour holdeth a singular opinion.
This Marius slewe Reodric, kyng of pictis lande,
Callyng the place of his name Westmarilande.

58

This ‘cite of legions,’ so called by the Romans,
Nowe is nominat in latine of his proprete
Cestria quasi castria / of honour and pleasance:
Proued by the buyldynge of olde antiquite
145

In cellers and lowe voultes / and halles of realte
Lyke a comly castell / myghty, stronge and sure,
Eche house like a toure, somtyme of great pleasure.

59

Vnto the sayd Chestre all northwales subiect were
For reformacion, Iustice and iugement;
Theyr bysshops see also it was many a yere
Enduryng the gouernaunce of brutes auncient;
To saxons and britons a place indifferent;
The inhabitauntes of it manfull and liberall,
Constant, sad and vertuous / and gentyll continuall.

60

Of frutes and cornes there is great habundaunce,
Woddes / parkes / forestes / and beestis of venare,
Pastures / feeldes / comons / the cite to auaunce,
Waters /pooles/ pondes / of fysshe great plente;
Most swete holsome ayre by the water of dee;
There is great marchandise / shyps / and wynes strang,
With all thyng of pleasure the citeȝens amonge.

61

The yere of our lorde a hundreth sixe and fyfty
Reigned vpon this lande a briton kyng Lucius,
Whiche with great desire required instantly
His realme to be baptiȝed of pope Eleutherius.
Whose charitable mocion was harde full gratius:
The pope enioyed / graunted his peticion
And sende .ii. doctours to conuerte this region.

62

The doctours by prechyng and singular grace
In short tyme conuerted the greatter Britayne;
The people confessed their synne and trespase,
Baptiȝed all were / forgyuenes dyd attayne;
Idolatrie cessed through-out this lande, certayne;
With grace circumfulced and lyghtned was Englande,
By faith to god professed was all Wales and scotlande.
146

63

Kynge Lucius ordeyned / by the doctours mocion
xxviii. bisshops in this realme for to be,
And .iii. archebisshops, for gostly exhortacion,
To reduce the people to vertue and humilite.
At London was set the chiefe archebisshops se,
The seconde in south-Wales at cite of legions,
The thyrde was at yorke, all subiect to the britons.

64

Churches were edified in many a place
Here in the more Britayne with diligent labour,
Christis faith encreased by speciall grace,
Faithfull religion delated euery hour;
Diuine seruice was songon & sayd with great honour,
True faith and deuocion were dayly encreasynge,
Namely in Chestre by grace continuall abidynge.

65

Certaynly, sith baptym came to Chestre cite,
Soone after Lucius / and afore kynge Arthure,
By the grace of god and their humilite,
The faith of holy churche dyd euer there endure
Without recidiuacion and infection / sure;
Wherfore it is worthy a singular commendacion,
Aboue all the citees and townes of this region.

66

The perfect begynnyng and fyrst foundacion
Of the monasterie within the sayd cite
Was at the same tyme by famus opinion
That baptym began within this countre;
The great lordes of Chestre of landes and auncetre
First edified the churche for comfort spirituall
In honour of the apostels Peter and Paule.

67

Whiche churche was principall to all the citie,
And the mouther-churche called withouten doubt;
It was their buriall by great auctorite,
147

To all this sayd cite / and .vii. myle without;
The cemiterie was large to compase it about.
But what by sufferaunce and processe of tyme
Many olde customes ben brought now to ruyne.

68

In whiche mother-churche of Peter and Paule
All holy sacramentes ministred dayly were,
With great encreasement of vertues all,
Continuall endurynge more than .CCC. yere,
In the britons tyme / of blodde noble and clere,
Afore the comyng of saxons to this lande,
Whiche with apostasie enfected all Englande.

69

So after that the Angles / Iutes / and saxons
By fortune of batell / power and policie
Had clerely subdued all the olde britons
And them expulsed to wales and wylde countre,
The faith of holy churche remayned at chestre cite
In the sayd churche, truely, by singular grace alone,
Like as the faith of Peter neuer fayled at Rome.

70

What tyme saint Austin, the doctour of Englande,
Had baptiȝed Ethelbrut, kynge of Kent,
And by relacion dyd fully vnderstande
That the faith of Christ most digne and excellent
In the citie of legions was truely remanent,
In the churche of the apostoles Peter and Paule,
He magnified our lorde with thanke speciall.

71

That season there was a noble monasterie
xii. myles from Chestre, nominate Bangour,
Where religious monkes lyued vertuouslye,
Almost .iii. thousande / obedient euery houre,
Without possessions / lyuyng by theyr labour:
Vnto whiche place he sende for helpe at nede,
To conuert the saxons (sayth venerable Bede).
148

72

Saynt Austin approched the cite of legions,
Where the sayd couent afore hym were present:
Whom he required to preche to the saxons
The faith of holy churche and baptym diligent.
To whose humble prayer / they were disobedient,
Obseruyng no charite. / yet for theyr great pride
Many of them were slayne by kyng Ethelfride.

73

That season the britons remayned vnder licence
Of Angles and saxons within the sayd cite,
Tyll the dayes of Offa, kynge of merciens,
Regnyng in the west marche with great victorie;
Whiche kynge expulsed by power and chiualrie
All brutes and walshemen clere out of his londe,
In peyne of punysshement none there to be fonde.

74

Whan the said churche, hauynge great liberte,
Dayly augmented in vertue and holynes,
Prestis and clerkes praysed the holy trinite
And the sayd apostoles with great mekenes,
The cite encreased in worshyp and ryches;
Churches were edified with feruent deuocion
In sondrie places within the sayd towne.

75

This noble kyng Offa agaynst the pagans
Of .xvii. batels had euer the victorye;
Confederate was with great Charles, kyng of Fraunce,
And edified saint Albans monasterye;
Of Englande first toke the hole monarchie;
Gaue Peter pens vnto the court of Rome;
Translate to Lichefelde the se of Canturbury;
xxxix. yere regned fully in this region.
149

A brefe rehersall of the first foundacion of the mynstre of Chestre / and of the institucion of secular chanons in the tyme of kyng Edwarde senior. Cap. iiii.

76

The yere of grace .D.CCC. seuynte and fyue,
Kyng Alured regned vpon this region,
The relique, the shryne full memoratyue
Was brought to Chestre for our consolacion,
Reuerently receyued, set with deuocion
In the mouther-churche of saint Peter and Paule,
(As afore is sayd), a place moost principall.

77

In whiche holy place vnto this present day
She bodilye resteth by diuine prouidence,
And so by his grace shall continue alway,
In honour, worshyp / and mycle reuerence;
A deuout oratorie of vertue and excellence,
Prepared by our lorde / where speciall remedy
Is agayne all greuans in soule and in body.

78

The primatyue gyftes gyuen to the place
Immediatly were after her comynge
Of deuout people replet with grace
In the dayes of the forsayd Alured kyng:
Of landes and libertes they made moche offerynge
To god and saint Werburge / after theyr possession,
Tristyng to her prayer and sure protection.

79

The people with deuocion and mynde feruent
Gaue diuers enormentes vnto this place:
Some gaue a coope / and some a vestement,
Some other a chalice / and some a corporace,
Many albes and other clothes offred ther was,
Some crosses of golde / some bokes / some belles;
The pore folke gaue surges / torches / and towelles.
150

80

The citeȝens offered to the sayd virgine
For the great miracles amonge them wrought
Many riall gyftes of Iewels to the shrine,
Thankynge our lorde, that hath vs all bought,
And blessed Werburge in worde, dede, and thought—
Women and children she mynded full gracious,
As testifieth the archebisshop Antoninus.

81

Diuine seruice was obserued deuoutly
Euery day, encreasyng with feruent adoracion
As the feest required / and the solemnite,
To the honour of our lorde and hie glorificacion;
Preistis and clerkes with pure meditacion
Obseruynge their dutie gaue vertuous example
Of great perfection to the comon people.

82

After kyng Alured / regned his son
Edwarde senior, by liniall discence,
Crowned the yere of grace .ix. hundreth and one,
with wordly glorie and great preeminence;
Buylded castels, townes of myghty defence,
Subdued the danes .vii. tymes in batell;
Encreased his realme manfully and well.

83

That tyme the realme of merciens was translate
By the kynge / and gyuen to duke Ethelrede,
A noble man of auncetre / politicke and fortunate,
Whiche maried his syster, lady Elflede,
Doughter to the forsaid valiant kynge Alurede;
The sayd gentilman was wyse and vertuous,
Sad and discrete, pacient and famous.

84

This lady Elflede, duchesse of merciens,
Had speciall loue and singular affection
To blessed Werburge, and true confidence:
151

Wherfore she mynded with great dilectacion
To edifie a mynstre, a place of deuocion,
To this holy virgin, for profite of her soule,
Enlargynge the churche of Peter and of Paule.

85

She moued her husbande with great mekenes
To supplie the same dede of his charite,
And diuers other nobles of theyr goodnes
For aide in that cause after their degree.
Ioyfull was the duke of the mocion gostle,
Glad were the nobles within all the shire
To founde a mynstre after her desire.

86

Afore the holy roode in a table writen is
At saint Iohans churche without the sayd cite,
Howe that prince Edmunde, the thyrde son e-wis
Of Edwarde senior, true foundour shulde be—
To whom lady Elflede was aunt by auncetre.
So betwix twayne was founded in short space
An holy mynstre, of vertue full and grace.

87

They sende for masons vpon euery syde,
Counnynge in geometrie / the foundacion to take
For a large mynstre, longe, hie, and wyde,
Substancially wrought / the best that they can make,
To the honour of god / for saynt Werburge sake;
At the est ende taken theyr sure foundacion
Of the apostoles churche / ioynynge both as one.

88

Whan it was edified / and curiously wrought
And all thyng ended / in goodly proporcion,
Than riche enormentes were offred and brought
Of the said nobles with great deuocion;
Temporall landes / rentes / possession
Were gyuen, for euer to mayntayne the place
Of blessed Werburge by singular grace.
152

89

Spirituall ministres were elect also:
Secular chanons, of great humilite,
To synge and psalmodise oure sauiour vnto,
Within the sayd mynstre hauynge a perpetuite;
Prebendes were assigned to that fraternite,
With townes / borowes / and fredomes manifest,
Continually encreasyng vnto the conquest.

90

And the olde churche of Peter and of Paule
By a generall counsell of the spiritualte
With helpe of the duke moost principall
Was translate to the myddes of the sayd cite;
Where a paresshe-churche was edified, truele,
In honour of the aforesayd apostoles twayne,
Whiche shall for euer by grace diuine remayne.

91

Also we may note, holdyng none opinion,
This lady Elflede of her charite
Of the sayd mother-churche translate the patron,
Caused the sayd oratorie reconciled to be
In the honour of the most blessed trinite
And of saynt Oswalde, martyr and kyng,
For the loue she had to hym continuynge.

92

The yere of our lorde .ix. hundreth and .viii.
This noble duchesse with mycle royalte
Reedified Chestre / and fortified it full ryght,
Churche / house / and wall, decayed piteousle.
Thus brought vnto ruyne was Chestre cite
First, by Ethelfride, kyng of Northumberlande,
And by danes / norwaies, vexyng all Englande.

93

Also she enlarged this sayd olde cite
With newe myghty walles stronge all-about,
Almost by proporcion double in quantite
153

To the forther byldynge brought without dout;
She compassed in the castell enemies to hold out
Within the sayd Walles, to defende the towne
Agaynst danes and walshemen, to dryue them all downe.

94

After the deth of her husband Ethelrede
She ruled the realme of mercelande manfully,
Buylded churches / and townes repared in dede,
As Staforde / Warwike / Thomwort / and Shirisbury;
Of newe she edified Runcorn̄ and Edisbury.
The body of saynt Oswalde also she translate
From Bardeney to Gloucetur, there to be tumulate:

95

Where she edified a noble monastery,
With licence of her brother afore nominate,
In honour of saint Peter / ouer the blessed body
Of the sayd saint Oswalde / kyng and martyr coronate.
In wiche monastery this lady was tumulate,
The yere of our lorde .ix. hundreth and nyntene;
Whom myn auctour prayseth in this wordes serene:

Of the notable myracles of saynt Werburge shewed in the tyme of chanons / and fyrst howe she saued Chester from distruction of walshemen. Cap. v.

96

This glorious Werburge and virgin pure
By singular grace of god omnipotent
Shewed many myracles to euery creature,
154

To blynde / dombe / halt / lame / and impotent,
In the cite of Chestre / whan her shryne was present,
Like-wyse as in her lyfe at Wedon / at Hambury—
Witneseth the same her true legende and history.

97

Wher[for]e to the honour / prayse / and laudacion
Of Iesu / the seconde persone in trinite,
And of this virgin a speciall commendacion,
We purpose to reherse nowe with charite,
Vnder the protection of you that shall the reders be,
Parte of the myracles / with mynde diligent
In this humble stile / and sentence consequent.

98

The first myracle / that our blessed sauiour
Shewed for his spouses / after her translacion
To Chestre: was nye the tyme of Edwarde seniour,
Son to kyng Alured, famous of renowne.
The Name of britons was chaunged that season,
Were named walshemen, in the montaynes segregate,
Euer to the saxons hauynge inwarde hate.

99

The Walshemen that tyme had ouer them a kyng
Called Griffinus / to be theyr gouernour,
Electe by the comons their appetite folowyng,
Endurate with malice / couetise and rancour,
Ennemies to englisshemen / as is said before.
This kyng entended by mortall enuy
The cite of Chestre to spoyle and distrye.

100

A myghty host discended from the mountans,
Well armed and strongely approchyng the cite,
Prepared for batell, with them great ordinaunce.
The sayd Griffinus and all his company
With his power passed ouer the water of Dee—
Whiche ryuer adioynneth to the sayd towne,
Betwene Englande and Wales a sure diuision.
155

101

This kynge layd siege vnto Chestre cite
With all his great host / there honour to wyn—
By policie of warre / encreasynge myghtyle.
For whiche the citeȝens remaynyng within
were sore disconsolate, like for to twyn:
With wofull heuy hartes they dyd call and crye
Vpon blessed Werburge for helpe and remedye.

102

The charitable chanons with great deuocion
Toke the holy shryne of theyr patrones,
Set it on the towne-walles for helpe and tuicion,
Trustynge on her to be saued from distres.
But one of the ennemyes with great wyckednes
Smot the sayd shryne in castyng of a stone,
And it empaired / piteous to loke vpon.

103

Anone great punysshement vpon them all lyght:
The kyng and his host were smytten with blyndnes,
That of the cite / they had no maner of syght;
And he that smote the holy shryne, doubtles,
Was greuously vexed with a sprite of darkenes,
And with hidous payne expired miserably—
The kynge was sore a-dred / and all his company.

104

Shortly the kynge remoued his great host,
Departed from the cite without any praye,
And gaue in commaundement in euery coost
Saynt Werburge landes to meynteyne alway,
Assigned her possessions euer after that day
With the signe of the crosse, a token euident,
In pleasyng this virgin / for drede of punysshement.
156

Howe saynt Werburge cured and healed a woman thre tymes (whiche was halte and lame) to helth and prosperite agayne. Cap. vi.

105

In the cite of Chestre (the legende doth expresse)
An honest matrone dwelled / Eagida nominat,
Whiche by continuaunce / and payne of sickenes
Was made halt and lame / of helth all desperate;
yet to saynt Werburge her hart was eleuate,
Instantly required with humble supplicacion
This holy virgin for helth / and preseruacion.

106

Anone by the merite of this lady clere
The pacient restored to helth and prosperite,
Gaue honour and thankes to Werburge and prayer,
Entendyng euer after her true seruaunt to be
And truely continue lyuyng in pure chastite.
But shortly she brake her promesse made in syght,
Folowyng her appetite and carnall lustes full ryght.

107

She had great riches, welth and prosperite
And maried with pleasure after her entencion;
Wher[for]e thries she endured her olde infirmite,
And thries was cured, by meke intercession,
To helth of body from peynfull contraction.
Thus by the merite of this virgin pure
She was deliuered from peyne thries to pleasure.

108

This forsayd Eadgide, prudently ponderyng
These notable miracles with her gostly eye,
Gaue great commendacion and speciall thankyng
To almyghty god / with feruent humilite
And to saynt Werburge, knelynge on kne,
Came to her oratorie and gaue an oblacion
To the holy shryne with singular deuocion.
157

Howe saynt Werburge saued Chestre from innumerable barbarike nacions / purposynge to distroye and spoyle the sayd cite vtterly. Cap. vii.

109

An other tyme innumerable barbarike nacions
Came to spoyle Chestre, to robbe it and distry,
(Sayth the historye) from diuers regions:
Harolde kyng of danes / the kynge of gotes & galwedy,
Maucolyn of Scotlande, and all theyr company,
With baners displayed, well armed to fyght;
Theyr tentes rially in hoole heth were pyght.

110

They set theyr ordinaunce agaynst the towne
Vpon euery side / timorous for to se,
Namely at the northgate they were redy-bowne
By myght, police to haue entred the cite.
The citeȝens dredyng to be in captiuite,
Made intercession vnto this holy abbasse
For theyr deliueraunce in suche extreme case.

111

The deuout chanons sette the holy shryne
Agaynst theyr enemies at the sayd northgate,
Trustynge to Werburge to saue them from ruyne
And shewe some myracle to them disconsolate.
For the citeȝens were of their lyues desperate,
Passynge mannes mynde to escape theyr daunger
But all-only by merite of this virgin clere.

112

As the kynges were sautynge this forsayd cite,
Trustyng for a praye to haue it euery hour,
One of the sayd ennemies, replet with iniquite,
Nat worshyppyng ye virgin / nor dredyng our sauiour,
Smote this riall relique with a stone in his rancour,
Brake therof a corner, curiously wrought,
Cast all to the grounde: than sorowe came vnsought.
158

113

The sayd malefactour nat passynge the place
Vexed with the deuill for his greuous offence,
Roryng and yellyng his outragious trespase,
Tore his tonge a-sonder in wodely violence,
Miserable exspired afore them in presence;
Satan ceased nat to shewe great punysshement
Vpon his soule and body / by signes euident.

114

These kynges considerynge this soden vengeaunce
Amonge them all lyght so soone and hastely,
Shortly remoued theyr great ordinaunce,
Departed from the cite with theyr company;
Callyng on this virgin fast for grace and mercy,
Promyttynge neuer after to retourne agayne
To disquiete her seruauntes and cite, in certayne.

Howe saynt Werburge by her merite sent frute to a barrayne woman by syngular prayer made vnto her. The .viii. chapitre.

115

A noble gentilman / a consul in office,
Descendyng of the hie and riall blodde of costy,
Elected a spouses at his owne deuice,
A swete faire gentilwoman, curtes and comly,
Nominat Iudith / ioynned to hym in matrimony;
With whom this lady lyued a longe season
Barrayn and fruteles of generacion.

116

She daily lamented her great wretchednes,
As woman infortunate full of miserye,
Prayed to saynt Werburge with interiour mekenes
For remedy and helpe agaynst that wofull infamye,
Desired to haue issue and frute of her bodye,
If it pleased god / and this virgin also,
Most greattest comfort to brynge her hert from wo.
159

117

Saynt Werburge appered to her in vision,
In white bright vesture / clere as the cristall,
Expressynge wordes of great consolacion,
Most ioyfull to Iudith to make rehersall:
Commaundyng her by the effect speciall
To go to her churche with singular deuocion
And praye our sauiour with humble supplicacion,

118

Also for to compasse her holy aulter
With a linen cloth / knelyng on her kne,
And after for to take the same cloth in-fere
And compas her wombe about reuerentle.
This Iudith was ioyfull / and rose vp yerle
And truely fulfylled this gostly vision;
From thens departed to her propre mancion.

119

Soone after this wyfe afore-rehersed
Conceyued a childe and had succession,
Praysyng this virgin in hart, worde and dede;
And after the tyme of her purificacion
Of the same faire cloth she made oblacion,
Richely set in syluer / well wrought in compas
With many riche enormentes she sende to this place.

120

After came her-selfe vnto the monastery
With many of her neyghbours / there nye dwellyng,
Praysyng and laudyng this glorious lady,
With cordiall thankynges makyng theyr offeryng,
Of this great myracles true witnes bearyng;
Departed from the place with ioy and deuocion
All the sayd company / eche to theyr mancion.
160

Of a woman great with childe with peyne brought out of her wytte / by saynt Werburge was restoured to reason agayne. Cap. ix.

121

In the prouince of Chestre / knowen it is of olde,
A certayne man dwelled / of great honeste,
Whiche had a doughter disposed manyfolde
To sondrye vertues / clennes / and humilite.
This humble mayde ioyned was in matrimonye
To an honest yong man / of whom she conceyued
And was great with childe / openly perceyued.

122

Whan the tyme approched of her deliueraunce,
Vexed she was with mycle wo and payne,
Continually enduryng / with suche hidous greuaunce
That out of her mynde she went, incertayne;
All phisike and medicyns were founde to her in vayne:
No comfort in erth, helpe nor remedye
For her myght be founde in suche extremite.

123

Her father and mother / and her frendes all
Brought theyr dere doughter with great deuocion
To saynt Werburge churche / requiryng speciall
This blessed virgin / with humble intercession
To helpe the pacient from all vexacion,
Promyttynge an oblacion to this lady bryght
Whan she vnto reason were comen a-ryght.

124

And as she slepped at the aulter ende,
Wofully cruciat with peynes hiduous,
Passyng mannes cure it for to amende:
Anone by the merite of this virgin glorious
She was released from all payne greuous
And fully restored to her reason agayne,
Had good deliueraunce / and spedde well, in certayne.
161

125

Whiche myracle knowen / her frendes euerychone
And all the good matrons of the sayd cite
Came holly togyther with theyr oblacion
To the holy shryne, thankyng with hart fre
This blessed virgin of her benignite,
Whiche is so redy a mediatrice alway
To helpe her true seruauntes both nyght and day.

Howe an other woman vnlaufully wurkynge was made blynde / and by saynt Werburge restored was to her syght agayne. Cap. x.

126

Within the same cite afore the abbay-gate
Dwelled a woman / which brake the commaundement
Of god and holy churche / hye sabbot-day dyd violate
Vnlaufully wurkynge: wherfore great punysshement
Fell vpon this woman with peynes equiualent,
Sodaynly smytten / wurkynge full busely
With greuous blyndnes / and mycle miserye.

127

This woman, consyderynge her syght was gone,
The pleasure of this worlde, her helpe and succour,
Hauynge to lyue by / small riches or none,
Cried maynly ‘out out, alas’ euery hour,
‘Wo is me wretche, fulfylled with dolour!
Alas, I was borne to abyde this wofull day
My maker to displease! / alas, what shall I say?’

128

She called to memorie with hye discrecion
The myracles that Werburge shewed to mankynde:
By grace she repented / with suche contricion
That water distilled from her eyes blynde,
Dolefully lamentynge / that she was so vnkynde;
Ruthfully was brought to Werburge oratory,
Trustyng in this virgin to haue remedy.
162

129

As she continued in her supplicacion,
Wofully wepynge / abidyng the great grace
Of blessed Werburge / with singular inuocacion,
Anone she was cured to helth and solace,
Restored to her eye-sight / she passed the place,
Praysed our lorde and this virgin pure,
Was a holy woman after, ye may be sure.

How saint Werburge restored to helth and prosperite vi. lame and halt persons by singular grace. Cap. xi.

130

The excellent fame of this glorious lady
Dilated was through all this region,
Manifest by myracles full honorably:
Therfore from diuers partes came many a person
For helth of body and gostly conuersacion,
Some to be cured from payne intollerable
And some of olde sores that were incurable.

131

Amonge whom there came vnto her place
Sixe wofull persones / cured for to be,
Halt, blynde and lame, besekyng her of grace
With humble supplicacion vpon them haue pite,
With wepynge teares sayenge / ‘o souerayn ladie,
O imperiall princesse / and kynges doughter dere,
Heele our disease by thy instant prayer!

132

‘O blessed virgin and holy moiniall,
O glorious abbasse / and worthy gouernour,
O pereles parens and ministre spirituall,
O celestiall gemme resplendent with honour,
Praye for vs wretches vnto our sauiour,
That we may opteyne here mercy and grace,
Cured of our sekenes / after to se thy face.
163

133

‘Thy name transcendeth this realme, swete lady,
Thy myracles magnifien thy great goodnes,
Thy worshyp encreaseth with honour and glorie
Daily euermore through thy great holynes:
Shewe nowe thy power / cure vs from sekenes,
That by the we may prayse the kyng of blis,
As thou hast cured many one or this.’

134

By these meke prayers / in hert full penitent,
And many other orisons sayd priuatly
Callyng on this virgin with deuocion feruent,
For certayne / or they passed the monastery
They were all cured from peyne and malady.
In wytnes wherof / and triall as it was
Theyr staues remayned longe after in the place.

Howe a yonge man thries hanged vnlaufully, was thries delyuered by saynt Werburge from dethe to lyfe and lyberte. Cap. xii.

135

Almyghty god gaue in commaundement
By moises lawe / to his people echone,
No innocent to slee by wrongfull iudgement
Nor causeles to punysshe by greuous oppression,
Also to beware of lyght suspection.
Wherof a myracle we shall nowe expresse,
Done in Chestre cite by Werburge theyr patronesse.

136

A certayne yonge man dwelled in the cite,
Honest in maners / and of good conuersacion,
Disposed to vertue and humilite:
Was arrest and taken of a lyght suspicion
By the officers and rule[r]s of the sayd towne,
Gyltles accused most innocently,
Condemned and iudged to deth shamfully.
164

137

After sentence gyuen / ministres were all redy
Vpon the iudgement to do execucion:
He was fettred and brought to the gebbet by and by
And as a stronge thefe hanged ther-vpon.
His frendes and cosyns for hym made great mone—
Alas, what tonge myght expresse the wo
They made that tyme departynge hym fro?

138

And as this innocent hang in his payne,
He called to mynd the manyfolde goodnes,
The myracles of Werburge, shewed her, certayne,
Howe she had saued many in great distres:
So, whan he myght no wordes expresse,
In mynde he required her / and humblie dyd pray
From shamfull deth to saue hym that day.

139

Whan all the officers departed were thens
Supposynge the soule seperate from the body,
A white doue descended afore them in presence
And lyght vpon the gebbet immediatly;
The byrde with his byll brake the rope, truely,
The prisoner escaped that tyme from deth,
Shortly reuiuynge toke naturall breth.

140

Whiche thynge notified, so meruailous in syght,
The ministers returned / theyr labour in vayne:
Toke this innocent by power and myght,
Vpon the sayd gebbet hanged hym agayne.
Thus he was delyuered by myracle from payne:
The tortuous turmentours cessed their tyrranny,
Permytted the prisoner to go at liberte.

141

Whiche myracle knowen / his frendes and cosyns all
Returned agayne with glad mynde and chere.
The prisoner mette them, louyng god in speciall
165

And blessed Werburge in his best manere.
The deuout citeȝens approched them nere,
Went all to the shryne the virgin thankyng;
The belles were tolled for ioy of this thyng.

Howe at the maner-place of Vpton saint Werburge restrayned wylde horses from distruction of cornes put in by theyr ennemyes. Cap. xiii.

142

Also the thyrde season approched to Chestre cite
Many cruell ennemyes in the part of Wirall,
Purposyng to spoyle / and distroy all the countre,
The people and theyr frutes / theyr corne and catall.
The citeȝens, dredyng to be captyue and thrall,
Fortified the cite with men of armes bright,
Hauynge sure artillarie for to defende and fight.

143

The husbandes of the countrey about there dwellyng,
Agaynst the sayd ennemyes makyng sore prouysion
Brought their corne & cattell / their husolde remaynynge,
In assurance to be / to the parke of Vpton,
Saynt Werburge landes, from all distruction—
Whiche parke from Vpton was distaunt a myle space,
A prebende to a chanon of her mynstre and place.

144

These wycked ennemies fulfylled with malice,
Agaynst all conscience and ordre of charite,
In no-maner wise dredynge the hie iustice
Entred the sayd parke with mycle cruelte,
Pulled downe the paale at pleasure and liberte,
Put in theyr horses, made great distruction
Of cornes and catell, of a hie presumpcion.

145

Werburge, remembrynge theyr great wyckednes,
Theyr malice and myschief agaynst her possession,
By myracle shewed her power and goodnes,
166

Preseruynge her seruauntes from all vexacion
And punysshyng her ennemies with great affliction,
As she hath done many seasons or this
By mean to her spouse, our lorde kyng of blis.

146

Whan the corne-sheuys laye broken afore them playne,
The horses had no power any part to take:
For why? by myracle / theyr heedes all, in certayne,
Were vp holden in the ayre / theyr bodyes sore dyd quake,
They touched no frutes / wast they dyd none make.
Of the principall doers / some raged out of mynde,
Some smetyn with palsy / some lepre, halt and blynde.

147

Whiche punysshement knowen vnto all the host,
The rulers and captens without any delaye
Knyt agayne the sheuys / that none shulde be lost,
With tremblynge hartes humbly began to praye
This holy virgin to saue them that daye;
Vpon a condicion / escapynge from payne:
Endurynge theyr lyfe neuer to turne agayne.

148

From that tyme furth ther dare no nacion,
Consyderyng the power of this virgin pure,
Approchyng Chestre cite to make derogacion;
Denmarke, Goet, nor Galway, Scot, ye may be sure,
Cruell danes nor walshemen dare nat procure.
Wherfore the citeȝens haue cause to loue the place
And thanke this virgin for her helpe and grace.

Howe a chanon of Chestre hauyng his leg and thie broken, was restaured to helth by saynt Werburge, hys patronesse. Cap. xiiii.

149

Within Chestre-mynstre, that holy place,
Dwelled a chanon nominate Vlminus,
Sad of disposicion by syngular grace,
167

Humble and pacient / discrete and vertuous,
Liberall and honest / gentyll and piteous;
And for a pastyme this was his pleasure,
To hunt and to hauke to confort nature.

150

And as this chanon rode for his solace
On huntyng with other honest company,
By fortune vnfrendly— / the more pite was,
Both horse and man fell to grounde sodendly,
In perill of theyr lyues standynge in ieoperdye:
The horse downe lyenge oppressed the chanon,
Brake his leg a-sondre / with blod great effusion.

151

Whan by his company the chanon was vp take,
He fell in a swowne for anguisshe, wo and payne,
All wordly riches redy to forsake
For one hour of quietnes to be had agayne;
Vnto his mancion they brought hym, certayne,
Where he continued in mycle wo and langour,
Abydyng allonly the mercy of our sauiour.

152

Counnyng surgeans were sought vpon euery syde,
To cure this gentylman from penalite;
But none of them / by wysdome coude prouyde
Clerely to heele hym / and do hym remedye.
Thus he remediles / in extreme ieopardye
Prayed to saynt Werburge, his patronesse,
For helth and remedye / of her great goodnesse.

153

Whose humble prayer with inward loue feruent
Was graciously harde of her charite:
For right soone after appered euident
A byrde like a doue, most clere for to see,
Into the chanons chambre the byrde flow, trule,
Among the company / and anone, doubtles,
The place was repleit with odour and swetnes.
168

154

Soone after the company euerichone
Were sadly on slepe, a thynge meruaylous,
And afore the pacient by playne vision
Saynt Werburge appered in his syght full glorious,
Sayeng: ‘my chaplayne and seruaunt vertuous,
Why be ye absent from diuine seruice,
Nat doynge your dutie accordyng to iustice?’

155

‘Ma dame,’ he sayd / ‘and swete president,
It is well knowen to all the cite
Of my mysfortune and harmes euydent,
Howe my horse almost had oppressed me.
Wherfore an impotent I endure mysere;
It is no feyned cause / that I do expresse.
I beseke you of helpe nowe, swete maistres.’

156

Saynt Werburge, euer piteous and merciable
Vpon her seruantes in great distresse,
Conforted her chaplayne with wordes delectable,
Proued in effect by her excellent goodnes
To his syght and felynge, as he dyd expresse:
She touched the foote / that sore and broken was,
Cured it holly from payne by singular grace.

157

Whan she had cured thus this impotent,
Anone she departed out of his syght.
The chanon gaue honour to god omnipotent
And to this virgin and lady bryght
Of this gostly vision, comfort and lyght;
All peyne was past, sekenes, vexacion,
Helth was come, by playne probacion.

158

The chanon rose vp the same mydnyght
And went to mattens, as custome was.
His bretherne were glad with all theyr myght,
169

Praysed our lorde of his singular grace
And Werburge, patrones of the sayd place;
Also with honour, reuerence and humilite
The bretherne sange te deum solemle.

A brefe rehersall of certayne kynges / and how kyng Edgare came to Chestre. Also howe Leofrice, Erle of Chestre, repared diuers churches. Cap xv.

159

After the decesse of kynge Edwarde seniour
Ethelstan his sonne was coronate at London
Kyng of this lande / regnyng in honour
With power, regalite by true succession;
Valeant in chiualry and actes euerychone,
Subdued danes / scottes / norwayes / britons all,
Opteyned triumphe / and dignite imperiall.

160

The fourth yere of his reigne / and the yere of grace
viii. hundreth .ii. and seuenty by full computacion
Guy erle of Warwike by fortune slayne hase
Colbrond the gyaunt / floure of danes nacion.
The sayd kyng Ethelstan by power and renowne
Thries subdued danes / and slewe the kyng of Irelande,
Nominat prince Anlaff / as we vnderstande.

161

This noble Ethelstan was good and gracious
To all-holy churche / namely to religion,
Ryghtfull in iudgement / liberall and piteous
To his true subiectes through his dominion;
To mynstres and holy places had great affection,
Confirmed theyr foundacions with libertes clere,
Whose noble actes be touched a lytell here:
170

162

After Ethelstan regned Edmunde, his brothur,
Fyue yeres in honour / hauyng great victory.
Princis Elred and Edwyn succided eytherothur,
In great busines with scottes and danes, truly.
Next whom meke Edgare / sayth the history,
xvi. yere of age / coronate at Kyngston,
With peace and quietnes first ruled this region.

163

In whose natiuite the blessed Dunstan
Herde angels singe with mycle melody:
‘Peace is nowe come to Englande, certan,
Quietnes / and rest / honour / and victory.’
Of cornes and frutes that tyme was plentie;
Danes / norwaies / scottes / britons in euery place
Submytted them-selfe to the kynges grace.

164

Science encreased, true loue and amite,
Vertue was exalted in all this region;
Monasteries were edified of his benignite,
Endowed with riches / and riall possession:
xl. religious places by famous opinion
Were newly buylded by the sayd noble kyng,
In sondry places of this realme standyng.

165

Secular prestes expulsed sothely were
From diuers monasteries with great discrecion,
Religious persones, repleit with vertue clere,
Entred their places cause of deuocion;
Charite was feruent and holy religion;
The lyues of sayntes were soth in eche place,
And written in legendes for our comfort and grace.

166

Many shyps were made vpon the kynges cost
To serche by the se all his lande about,
That no alian entre in no-maner cost,
171

By policie and manhod to holde all his ennemies out.
Danes / norwaies / scottes durst nat ones loke out—
Suche drede all nacions had ensuynge the tyme
That kyng Edgare regned by prouidence diuine.

167

In progresse he passed ones in the yere
Eche quarter of the realme with his company,
To se that his subiectes well ordred were
And the lawe obserued / iustice with mercy.
Than was none oppression, wronges nor iniury,
Debate, malice, rancour myght nat be founde;
True loue and charite was in all the londe.

168

Kynge Edgare approched the cite of legions,
Nowe called Chestre / specified afore;
Where .viii. kynges mette of diuers nacions,
Redy to gyue Edgare reuerence and honour,
Legiance and fidelite depely sworne full sore
At the same cite: after to be obedient,
Promyt at his callyng to come to his parliament.

169

From the Castell he went to the water of Dee
By a priue posturne through walles of the towne;
The kyng toke his barge with mycle rialte,
Rowyng vpwarde to the churche of saynt Iohn̄;
The forsayd .viii. kynges with hym went alone:
Kynge Edgare kept the storne / as most principall,
Eche prince had an ore to labour with-all.

170

Whan the kynge had done his pylgrimage
And to the holy roode made oblacion,
They entred agayne into the sayd barge,
Passynge to his place with great renowne.
Than Edgare spake in praysyng of the crowne:
‘All my successours may glad and ioyfull be
To haue suche homage, honour and dignite.’
172

171

Also it is to be had in memory
That this sayd Edgare and his princis all
Came with great reuerence vnto the monastery,
To worshyp saynt Werburge with mynde liberall;
Where he gaue fredoms and priuileges speciall,
With singular possessions of his charite,
Confirmynge the olde grauntes by hye auctorite.

172

This Edgare was nominate in cronicles expresse
‘The floure of Englande’ / regnyng as emperour,
Lyke-wise as Romulus to romains was of prowes,
Cyrus to the persis / to the grekes their conquerour,
Great Charles to frenchemen / to troians Hectour;
Famous in victorye, preignant in wysdome,
Vertuous and pacient / feruent in deuocion.

173

Also from the byrthe of our blessed sauiour
A thousande fyfty yere / and seuyn expresse,
In the tyme of saynt Edwarde kyng and confessour,
As William Maluesbury beareth wytnes,
Than Leofricus, a man of great mekenes,
Was erle of Chestre and duke of merciens,
Son to duke Leoffwin by liniall discence.

174

This noble Leofric, sayth policronicon,
Of his deuocion and beningne grace,
Namely by the counsell and vertues mocion
173

Of his lady Godith, countes whiche was,
Reedified churches decayed in many a place,
Also he founded the monastery of Leonence,
By the towne of Herforde / and the place of Wenlecence.

175

This erle repareled a noble olde monastery,
Euesham vpon Auen / gaue them great riches;
Also founder was of the abbay in couentre,
Made the cite free, for loue of his countesse:
At the cite of Chestre of his great goodnes
He repared the College-churche of saynt Iohn̄,
Endowed it with riches and enormentes many on.

176

This erle of Chestre, the sayd Leofricus,
Of his charite / and feruent deuocion
To the honour of god / reedified full gracious
The mynstre of Werburge within the sayd towne,
Gaue vnto it riches and singular possession,
Endowed the sayd place with fredoms and liberte
And speciall priuileges, confirmed by auctorite.

177

So the sayd place encreased in honour,
In great possessions / fredoms / and richesse;
With singular deuocion vnto our sauiour
And prayse to saynt Werburge, theyr patronesse,
The chanons obserued vertue and clennes,
Daily augmentyng by diuine sufferaunce
Vnto the comyng to this lande of normans.

Of the comyng of Willyam conquerour to this lande, and howe Hug. Lupe, his syster sonne, was founder of Chestre monasterye. Cap. xvi.

178

The yere of grace .M. sixe and thre-scour,
The .xiii. day of the moneth of october
The duke of Normandy / William conquerour,
174

Pight a stronge batell / displayed his baner,
Of normans and frenchemen hauynge great power,
Subdued kyng Harolde / opteyned all the londe,
Was coronate at London / made saxons all bonde.

179

For diuerse great causes he came to this countre:
First for deth of Alured, his nere kynsman;
The proscripcion of Robert archebisshop of Canterbury;
The periury of Harolde agaynst conscience playne;
The promys of saynt Edwarde made to hym, certayne,
That the sayd Wylliam shulde enioye the crowne,
If the kyng departed without succession.

180

A generall counsell was celebrate at London,
That all bysshops sees by helpe of the conquerour
From borowes shulde be translate to a famous towne
Within their diocese / to the greatter honour.
Ryght so they all were / sayth myn auctour;
Also the see of Lichefelde was translate to Chester,
By helpe and sufferaunce of the bysshop Peter.

181

With Wylliam conquerour came to this region
A noble worthy prynce nominate Hug. Lupus,
The dukes son of Britayne / and his syster son;
Flourynge in chiualry, bolde and victorious,
Manfull in batell / liberall and vertuous:
To whom the kyng gaue for his enheritaunce
The cōunte of Chesshire, with the appurtinaunce,

182

By victorie to wynne the forsayd Erledom,
Frely to gouerne it as by conquest right;
Made a sure chartre to hym and his succession,
By the swerde of dignite to holde it with myght,
And to calle a parlement to his wyll and syght,
To ordre his subiectes after true iustice
As a prepotent prince / and statutes to deuise.
175

183

This valeant knyght with a myghty host
Descended from London to wynne the sayd counte.
But the lordes of Chesshire rose from euery cost,
Agaynst hym made batell and had the victorie;
Thries they preuayled agaynst the erle, trulie.
After he optayned to his fame and honour
The erledome of Chestre, entred as a conquerour.

184

He gaue to his knyghtes after theyr desire
Lordshyps and franches / and great possession,
With riche mariages, within all Chesshire,
Exalted his seruauntes to hye promocion;
Vnto holy churche had special deuocion,
Maynte[in]ynge iustice / commendyng vertue,
Deposyng vice by the helpe of Iesu.

185

After the departure of his vncle, the conquerour,
Whan William Ruff. toke the regalite,
Than blessed Anselme, the famous doctour,
Dyd viset this lande oft-tymes of his charite,
Glad to refourme / and brynge vnto vnite
Where was debate / and mycle diuision,
By diligent labour / and good exhortacion.

186

This forsayd erle of his benignite,
Interiously louynge holy religion,
Repleit with vertue and feruent charite,
Sende for saynt Anselme vnto London,
To come to Chestre at his peticion
And there for to founde a religious place
In honour of Werburge by diuine grace.

187

Blessed Anselme at the erles supplicacion
Came vnto Chestre with gladde chere shortly:
Where he founded an abbaye of holy religion,
176

A pleasaunt place and a noble monasterye,
In worshyp of god / and saynt Werburge, sothely,
The yere of grace by full computacion
A thousande .iiii. score .xiii. yere alon.

188

All secular prestes / and chanons also,
Within the sayd place afore-tyme dwellyng
Were clerely dismyssed / and letten go;
Religious monkes, perfect in lyuynge,
Receyued were gladly their rule professynge.
Saynt Anselme ordeyned Richard of Beccense
To be their abbot with great preeminence.

189

Landes / rentes / libertes / and great possession,
Franches / fredoms / and priuileges riall
Were gyuen mekely to that foundacion,
Maners / borowes / townes / with the people thrall,
And many faire churches / chapels withall,
Wardes and mariages were gyuen that season
To god and saynt Werburge, cause of deuocion;

190

Kyng Wyllyam Ruff, son to the conquerour,
Confirmed the foundacion / with great auctorite,
Endowed the monastery with mycle honour
Of fredoms / franches / also liberte.
The place that tyme was made as fre
As the sayd erle was in his castell,
Or as hert myght thynke / or tonge myght tell.

191

Saynt Anselme departed thence vnto London
And was made archebisshop of Canturbury.
To the place he gaue a sure confirmacion,
With singular priuileges to be had in memory;
Of whom it is written here folowyng, truly:
Hic vir dum vixit, extirpantes maledixit
Werburge iura presentia siue futura.
177

192

This noble prince gaue of his charite
Riall riche enormentes vnto the sayd place,
Coopes / crosses / Iewels of great rialte,
Chales / censures / vestures / and landes dyd purchace;
A librarie of bokes to rede and synge there was—
Of whiche riall iewels and bokes some remayne
Within the sayd monastery to this day, certayne.

193

The founder also buylded within the monasterie
Many myghty places / conuenient for religion,
Compased with stronge walles on the west partie
And on the other syde with Walles of the towne,
Closed at euery ende with a sure postron,
In south part the cimiterie inuironed rounde about,
For a sure defence ennemies to holde out.

194

The .ix. yere aftre this riall foundacion,
This noble founder the .xxvii. day of Iuly
Departed to-warde the heuenly mancion.
Next whom his son Richarde succeded, truly,
Than regnyng in honour the first kyng Henry.
Also the place had their fraunches and fredom
Afore the sayd cite a hundreth yere and one.

Howe saynt Werburge taught her monke and chaplayne to kepe paciens for his greatter merite and glorye to come. Cap. xvii.

195

After the translacion of Chestre monasterye
From secular chanons to monkes religious
By helpe of Anselme archebisshop of Canturburye,
Supportyng therto the founder Hug. Lupus,
As afore is specified full memorous,
A monke there dwelled of vertuous disposicion
Vnder obedience / nominate dan Symon.
178

196

This brother Simon, his tyme well vsyng,
Nowe in vertuous study / nowe in contemplacion,
Nowe in deuout prayer / nowe busely wryttynge,
Somtyme in solace / and honest recreacion,
Obserued deuoutly his holy religion,
Obedience / pacience / and wylfull pouerte,
Mekenes / meditacion / with pure chastite.

197

For whiche examples and signes of vertue
Diuers of his bretherne repleit with enuy
Were fully confederate, entendyng to subdue
This honest prest by malice and policy:
They layd to his charge open wronges and iniury,
They punysshed & oppressed hym with great affliction,
Dayly augmentyng by subtyll collusion.

198

Dan Symon, offendyng no brother at all,
Obserued pacience / euer callynge for grace,
Wepyng, lamentyng with syghes cordiall
His fortune vnfrendly, remediles / in that case;
Entended to depart to some other place,
Of a scrupulous conscience / seyng no redresse,
Was redy to procede plonged in heuynes.

199

Werburge appered to this monke in vision,
Bryghter than Phebus in his meridian spere:
‘My seruaunt,’ she sayd, callyng hym vpon,
‘Why be ye so sad / and heuy of chere?
Wheder entende ye? shewe the mater clere!’
‘Alas,’ he sayd, ‘ma dame and patronesse,
For sorowe I can nat my peynes expresse.

200

‘Diuers of my bretherne ben greued at me,
Vexyng me dayly with great tribulacion,
Causeles on my part deserued, trule,
179

In worde or en dede gyuyng none occasion.
I can nat be quiet amonge that congregacion;
Wherfore, swete lady, vnder your licence
I purpose to departe in sauynge my conscience.’

201

Saynt Werburge pacified his mynde and entent
With wordes of comfort and holy scripture,
Made hym be humble in hert and pacient,
‘Thy sufferaunce shalbe great ioye and pleasure,
And for thy pacience thou maist be sure
To haue rewarde in blis perpetuall
At thy departure from this lyfe mortall.’

202

Wherwith saynt Werburge departed sodeinl[y]
To the blys of heuyn euer-endurynge.
The monke was meke in hert and mery,
Obserued her doctrine this lyfe continuyng,
Gaue good example of perfect lyuynge
Vnto his bretherne / and at his departure
For his pacience passed to eternall pleasure.

Howe sondes rose vp within the salt see agaynst Hilburghee by saynt Werburge at the peticion of the constable of Chestre. Ca. xviii.

203

The seconde erle of Chestre after the conquest
Was erle Richard / son to Hug. Lupus:
Whiche Richarde entended all thyng to the best;
To visite saynt Winifride in hert desirous,
Vpon his iourney went / myn auctour sayth thus,
Deuoutly to holy-well in pylgrimage,
For his great merite and gostly aduantage.

204

Whan the wicked walshemen herd of his comyng
After a meke maner vnto that party,
They made insurrection, inwardly gladdyng,
180

Descended from the mountaynes most furiously,
Agaynst the erle raised a cruell company;
Bytwxt hym and Chestre lettynge the kyngis way,
Purposynge to slee or take hym for a praye.

205

The erle son perceyued theyr malicious entent:
In all hast possible sende to Chestre secretly,
To warne his constable by loue and commaundem[en]t,
Wyllyam the son of Nigell / to rayse a great army,
To mete hym at Basyngwerke right sone and spedely
For his deliueraunce from deth and captiuite
Of the wyld walshemen / without humanite.

206

The constable congregate in all goodly hast
A myghty stronge host / in theyr best arraye,
To-warde Hilburghee on iourney ridyng fast,
Trustyng vpon shippes all them to conuaye—
Whiche was a riall rode that tyme, nyght and daye.
And whan they theder came, shyppyng none there was
To carie all them ouer in conuenient space.

207

Alas, what hert may thynke / or tonge well expresse
The dolorous greuaunce / and great lamentacion
That the host made / for loue and tendernes,
Knowynge their great maister in suche persecucion?
Some wept and wayled without consolacion,
Some sighed and sobbed / some were in extasy,
Without perfect reason. / alas, what remedy?

208

Wyllyam the constable, most carefull man on lyue
Of his mysfortune, in suche extreme necessite
Called to hym a monke there dwellyng contemplatyue,
Required hym for counsayle and prayer for his charite.
The monke exhorted hym to knele vpon his kne,
Humblie to beseke Werburge, his patronesse,
For helpe and remedy in suche great distresse.
181

209

The constable content anone began to praye:
‘O blessed Werburge and virgin pure,
I beseke the mekely, helpe me this day,
That we may transcende this ryuer safe and sure,
To saue and defende my lorde from discomfiture;
And here I promytte to god and the alone
To offre to the a gyfte at my comyng-whome.’

210

Whiche prayer ended, with wepyng and langour,
Beholde and consydre well with your gostly ee
The infinite goodnes of our sauiour:
For like as to Moises deuided the redde see,
And the water of Iordan obeyed to Iosue,
Ryght so the depe riuer of Dee made diuision,
The sondes drye appered in syght of them echone.

211

The constable consyderynge / and all the company
This great myracle transcendyng nature,
Praysed and magnified our lorde god almyghty
And blessed Werburge, the virgin pure.
They went into wales vpon the sondes sure,
Deliuered their lorde from drede and enmite,
Brought hym in safe-garde agayne to Chestre cite.

212

The said Wyllyam constable came to the monasterye,
Thanked saynt Werburge with meke supplicacion,
Fulfylled his promes made in extremite:
Offred to the place the village of Neuton;
Afterwarde he founded the abbay of Norton.
And where the host passed / ouer betwix bondes,
To this day ben called ‘the constable sondes.’
182

Howe Matilde countesse of Chestre, counsellyng her husbande agaynst the monastery of Chestre, was drowned at Barflewe, with many other mo. Cap. xix.

213

After the decesse of Hug. Lupe prenominate
Richarde, his son, .vii. yeres of age,
Was elect Erle by the kyng, and creat;
With counsaile gouerned his landes and heritage.
At yeres of discrecion he toke in mariage
The lady Matild / nece to the first kynge Henry,
Doughter to erle Stephan, (sayth the history).

214

At his begynnyng he was a benefactour,
A founder to the place by landes and possession,
By franches and libertes / ayde / helpe / and succour,
Gyuen to the abbay / augmentyng the foundacion:
Proued by his actes of singular deuocion
Enduryng long tyme / tyll that his lady
By wycked counsaile moued hym the contrarye.

215

It is red in scripture howe quene Iesabell,
Ambicious of honour agaynst all ryghtousnes,
Peruerted her lorde Achas / kyng of Israell,
To sle Nabath for his vineyard, doubtles;
Also Athalia / the bible sheweth expresse,
Commaunded to slee the kynges children all,
That she myght regne sole princesse imperiall:

216

Ryght so this Matilde, clerely refusyng
The steppes of Sara / Rebecca / and Rachell
And other good matrons: but imitacion takyng
Of these wycked women Athali and Iesabell,
Peruerted her husbande by her subtyll counsell
To aske of the abbot the maner-place of Salton
With the appurtinaunce / by famous opinion.
183

217

Thabbot, by counsell of his bretherne all,
Denyed to graunt their propre possession,
The patrimony of Christ, and their landes seuerall
To the sayd erle Richarde and his succession,
Gyuen by his father at the first foundacion.
For whiche thyng the erle and Matilde, his lady,
Hated thabbot / the bretherne / and the monastery.

218

The erle and his countesse went to Normandy,
To viset their frendes and cosyns naturall;
So dyd the princis / their father kyng Henry,
With many estates of the blodde riall.
These princis fauored no saxon at all;
The erle conominat in malice and hate
Agaynst the monasterie / as a man endurate.

219

Satan sende forth his seruauntes in hast
To enfect the erles hert with venomous poison.
The bedyls of Belial attempted full fast
The erle and his countesse / to kepe theyr opinion;
Detractours, flaterers, cause of promocion,
Trustyng therby to opteyne fauour and grace
Excited their myndes agaynst the sayd place.

220

The erle sore attempted by his gostly ennemy,
By wycked people callyng hym vpon,
Namely by the counsell of Matilde, his lady,
Entended to alter and chaunge the foundacion
Of the sayd abbay to a nother religion,
Confirmed the same, sweryng most depely,
At his whom-comyng to Englande / from Normandy.

221

Thabbot and couent, knowyng this great perell
By speciall louers and frendes secretly,
Were pensyue and sorowfull (it was no meruell),
184

Their hertes plonged in wo and misery,
By naturall reason hauyng no remedy,
Consyderyng his malice encreased more and more
Agaynst the monastery / with wordes of rigour.

222

They had their hope, trust and confidence
In blessed Werburge, their patronesse:
With wepyng eies, clere in conscience
They called her vpon in all their distresse:
‘O glorious virgin, lady and swete maistres,
Metigate the malice by thy benignite
Of Richarde our lorde / mekely we praye the.

223

‘Suffre hym neuer to distroye thy place
By wycked consell, malice and enuy,
Founded and dedicate by heuenly grace
In honour of god / and the specially;
Protect / defende / and saue thy monastery,
Thy landes / thy libertes / and thy seruauntes all,
As thou afore-tyme hast done continuall.’

224

In meane tyme the erle entended spedely
From thens to depart / and retourne agayne,
To fulfyll his entent agaynst the monasterye,
By the subtyll mocion of his countesse, playne.
A ship was prepared / all thyng redy, certayne;
The prince of England / the erle and his lady
Toke shippyng at Barflewe, and all their comp[any].

225

Certaynly, they sayled but a lytell space
Whan agaynst them roose a contrarie wynde.
The mariners to gyde the ship had no grace,
The stormes so great, hiduous agaynst kynde;
On a rocke they ranne / no remedy myght fynde;
Incontinently the ship barst all in-sondre;
The erle and his feliship were turned all vndre.
185

226

No man ne childe scaped from deth that tyme,
But one pore seruaunt, whiche swamme to the londe.
Suche was theyr fortune by sufferaunce diuyne.
Many of theyr bodis were neuer fonde.
Thus was their power made thrall and bonde,
Theyr lyues were lost within a s[h]ort space
Whiche were cruell ennemyes vnto her place.

227

On saynt Katharins day at after mydnyght,
Whan matens were ended / and bretherne gon,
Some mournyng, waylyng for drede full ryght,
Some busie in prayer and contemplacion:
Werburge appered to the secristan alone,
Sayenge: ‘ye may be ioyfull in god and mery:
Erle Richarde is drowned, your mortall ennemy.’

228

The same glad tidyng shewed an honest woman
Tollyng at the churche-dore the sayd day and hour,
As she was commaunded by Werburge, in certan,
To thabbot and couent plonged in great langour.
(Whiche myracle herde) they pray[s]ed our sauiour
And blessed Werburge / with hert deuoutly,
Syngyng Te deum full solemply.

Howe a great fire, like to distroye all Chestre, by myracle ceased / whan the holy shryne was borne about the towne by the monkes. Cap. xx.

229

From the incarnacion of our sauiour
A thousand / a hundreth yere, .lxxx. also,
On sonday in mydlenton / the .viii. houre,
Whan euery paresshen theyr churche went to
As all christen people of dutie shulde do,
A fyre by infortune rose vp sodeinly,
All flamyng feruent or the people dyd espy.
186

230

This fearefull fire encreased more and more,
Piteously wastyng hous / chambre / and hall;
The citeȝens were redy their cite to succour,
Shewed all their diligence / and labour continuall,
Some cried for water / and some for hookes dyd call,
Some vsed other engins by crafte and policy,
Some pulled downe howses afore the fire, truly.

231

Other, that were impotent / mekely gan praye
Our blessed lorde / on them to haue pite;
Women and children cried ‘out and waile-a-way,’
Beholdyng the daunger and perill of the cite;
Prestes made hast diuine seruice to supple,
Redy for to succour their neyghbours in distres
(As charite required) and helpe their heuynes.

232

The fire contynued without any cessynge,
Feruently flamyng euer contynuall,
From place to place meruaylously rennyng,
As it were tynder consumyng toure and wall.
The citeȝens sadly laboured in vayne all;
By the policie of man was founde no remedy
To cesse the fire so feruent and myghty.

233

Alas, great heuynes it was to beholde
The cite of Troye all flamyng as fire;
More pite of Rome cite was manyfolde,
Feruently flagrant / empeiryng the empire:
As to the quantite, the cite of Chestire
Myght be assembled this tyme in like case
To the sayd citees, remedeles, alas!

234

Many riall places fell adowne that day,
Riche marchauntes houses brought to distruction,
Churches and chapels went to great decay;
187

That tyme was brent the more part of the towne;
And to this present day is a famous opinion
Howe a myghty churche, a mynstre of saynt Michaell,
That season was brent and to ruyne fell.

235

Whan the people sawe their power insufficient,
By diligent labour / wysdome and policye
To subdue the fire / but styll dyd augment:
To almyghty god they dyd call and crye
And to saynt Werburge, the gracious lady,
For helpe and succour in suche wretchednes,
Wepyng and waylyng for woo and heuynes.

236

Thabbot and couent of the sayd monasterie,
Religiously lyuyng in holy conuersacion,
Repleit with mekenes and feruent charite,
Toke the holy shryne in prayer and deuocion,
Syngyng the letanie bare it in procession,
Compasyng the fyre in euery strete and place,
Trustyng in Werburge for helpe, aide and grace.

237

Whan they had ended the holy letanye
From place to place procedyng in stacion,
Anone a stremyng sterre appered sodaynlye,
A white doue descended afore the congregacion
Approchyng as to helpe them / a signe of consolacion.
The people reioysed of that gostly syght
And praysed saynt Werburge with power and myght.

238

So by the merite of this blessed virgin
The fire began to cesse— / a myracle clere—
Nat passyng the place / where the holy shryne
Was borne by the bretherne / as playnly dyd appere.
The citeȝens dyd helpe in their best manere;
The feruent great fire extincted was in-dede
By grace aboue nature / in story we may rede.
188

239

The clergie, the burges / and the comons all,
Consyderyng the goodnes of this virgin bright,
With tendernes of hert and loue in speciall
Magnified and praysed our lorde god almyght
And blessed Werburge by day, also nyght,
Whiche hath preserued of her great charite
Chestre from distruction in extreme necessite.

240

Vnto her shryne the people all went,
The clergie before, in maner of procession,
Thankyng this virgin with loue feruent
For her mercy and grace shewed them vpon;
Deuoutly knelynge there made oblacion,
Sayeng full sadly / ‘we shall neuer able be
The place to recompence for this dede of charite.’

A breue rehersall of the myracles of saynt Werburge after her translacion to Chestre. Cap. xxi.

241

These fore-sayd myracles and signes celestiall,
By diuine sufferaunce shewed manifestly,
Magnifien this virgin and blessed moiniall
With mycle worshyp, honour and victory,
Playnly declaryng vnto your memory
What singular grace / worshyp / and excellence
Our sauiour shewed for his spouse openly,
As is rehersed at masse in her sequens.

242

To expresse all myracles written in the place
In a boke nominate the thrid passionarye,
It wolde require a longe tyme and space,
To the reders tedious (no meruayle sothly).
Wher[for]e we omytte to writte of them specially,
But touched in generall vnto your audience,
189

To reioyse and comfort your hertes inwardly,
As ye may considre in her sequens.

243

Certaynly, it is knowen by bokes expresse:
Sith that saynt Werburge came to Chestre cite,
By the power of god and myracle, doutles,
She hath defended the towne from ennemite,
From barbarike nacions full of crudelite,
Of whom we haue shewed with diligence,
Preseruyng her seruauntes / and the monastery,
As is declared in her true sequence.

244

Also of her goodnes preserued she hase
The sayd towne from fire in extreme necessite;
Many diuers tymes to their ioye and solace
Releuyng the citeȝens in wo and penalite.
For it is well knowen, by olde antiquite
Sith the holy shryne came to their presence,
It hath ben their comfort and gladnes, truly,
As playnly appereth in her sequens.

245

Also to blynde men she hath gyuen syght,
To dombe men speche right perfectly,
To deffe men their heryng pleasaunt and right,
And helth to sicke men repleit with debilite,
Delyuered prisoners from captiuite,
Passage to lame men / to mad men intelligence;
Suche myracles shewed this blessed lady,
As ye may vnderstande in her sequens.

246

Women with childe by her had good delyueraunce,
Virgins defended from shame and vilany;
Her seruauntes were cured from wofull greuaunce,
Marchantes and mariners delyuered from ieopardye;
Other were saued from hangyng shamfully;
A speciall comfort, succour and defence
190

To all carefull creatures sekyng for remedy,
By singular grace / as sayth the sequens.

247

No wofull person in payne and wretchednes,
Man, woman, childe / who-so-euer they be,
Comynge to the abbay with perfit mekenes,
Makyng supplicacion to this lady free,
But they departed ioyfull and merie
To theyr dwellyng-place by her beniuolence,
And for their lyuyng had all thyng necessarie,
As written is playnly in her sequens.

248

For whiche great myracles and signes continuall
This blessed Werburge, floure of humilite,
Of the people is called for grace supernall
‘Patrones of Chestre’ / protectrice of the countre.
Where next our sauiour and his mother Marie
She hath great honour, prayse and preeminence,
As most condigne to beare the principalite,
In witnes wherof recordeth her sequens.

249

This holy abbasse and lady imperiall
Hath ben president in Chestre monasterie,
Theyr trust / theyr treasure / and defence speciall
In mycle reuerence .vii. hundreth yere, trulie;
And so shall continue, by grace of god almyghty,
To the worldes ende in hie magnificence.
To whom be honour, worship and glorie
Euer to endure / as sayth her sequens.

A charitable mocion and a desyre to all the inhabytauntes within the countie palatine of Chestre for the monasterie. Cap. xxii.

250

O ye worthye nobles of the west partye,
Considre in your mynde with hye discrecion
The perfite goodnes of this swete ladye,
191

We mean saynt Werburge, nowe at this season,
Whiche hath ben your helpe and singular tuicion,
And so euer wylbe— / haue this in your mynde
Whan ye to her call with humble supplicacion:
Wherfore to the monasterye be neuer vnkynde.

251

Remembre / at the foundacion of the sayd place
your predecessours and fore-fathers redy were
To gyue for their soule-helth by singular grace
Parcell of their landes and possessions mere
To our sauiour and to saynt Werburge clere,
Redy to offre them with humble hert and mynde
In perfit oblacion, with Hug. Lupe their foundere:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

252

Many helde their landes of the sayd monasterie
By tenure grand-seriante / and some by homage,
By tenure franke-almoigne / other by fealtie
With seruice de chiualere / and some by escuage,
Some by petit-seriant / and by tenure burgage,
As in their euidentes and grauntes they may fynde:
Tres maners de rentes / with tenure villenage:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

253

The place hath speciall franches and liberte,
Hauynge certayne wardes of landes and mariage
Of diuers gentilmen within the sayd counte;
All theyr tenauntes and seruauntes haue fre passage
Within all chesshire without tolle and pillage—
Suche auncient fredoms in their dedes they fynde,
Gyuen by theyr founders for gostly auauntage:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

254

The erle gaue the place many great fredoms
Within Chestre cite / whiche ben knowen of olde,
With singular priuileges and auncient customs,
192

Saynt Werburge faire / with profites manyfolde,
That no marchandise shulde be bought ne solde
Enduryng the faire-dayes (in writyng as we fynde)
But afore thabbay-gate / to haue and to holde:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

255

Therfore, lordes, barons / ye rulers of the countre,
We you nowe exhorte in our sauiour,
Discretly considre with your gostlie eie
The myght of this mayden and chaste floure,
Shewed by myracles euery day and hour—
Whan she was required with true hert and mynde,
In all busines she hath ben their protectour:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

256

Whan your forefathers haue ben in great perell,
In ieoperdie of lyfe on see and on londe,
Or like to be slayne by ennemies in batell,
Or taken by warre in prison fast bonde:
Vnto this virgin / as we vnderstonde,
Whan they called and cryed with contrite mynde,
They escaped all daunger / cam whom safe and sonde:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

257

Marchauntes passynge with marchaundise,
From lande to lande truly entendyng,
If they were taken with cruell ennemyse
Orels were put in perill of perisshyng:
If they to this virgin deuoutly praying
Made supplicacion with humble hert and mynde,
Anone they opteyned theyr humble askyng:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

258

If any of you [was] vexed with infirmite,
With sekenes incurable / or other vexacion,
As wronges, iniuries, and other maladie.
193

Vnto saynt Werburge makyng intercession
And to her place promysyng an oblacion
With contrite hert and penitent mynde,
They were soone cured from all affliction:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

259

And you, honest matrons, remembre you all
The goodnes of this virgin full of grace:
Whan ye in trauelyng vpon her do call
Or haue any relique sende from the place,
ye fortune and spede well in short tyme and space;
And diuers maydens louyng a chaste mynde
From vilany ben saued by her purchase:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

260

But eche contray / shire / and congregacion,
Some be disposed to vertues generall,
And some to the contrarie, proued by reason:
Folowyng their mynde and appetite sensuall
Haue shewed vnkyndnes to the place spirituall,
And haue ben sore punysshed / take this in mynde,
To all other folowynge and example speciall:
Wherfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynde.

261

There was neuer man of high nor lowe degree,
Lorde / baron / knyght / marchaunt / and burges,
Attemptyng to infringe their rightes and liberte,
Remaynyng in the same malice and wyckednes,
But if they repent shortly theyr busynes
Askyng absolucion to theyr conscience blynde,
Vengeance on them doth lyght, doutles:
Wherfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynd.

262

Diuers malefactours agayne good conscience
Attemptyng to take there seuerall possession
By subtell policy and wrong-feyned euidens,
194

By proued periury and fals collusion,
Whiche in theyr iniury and wronge mesprision
Without repentauns in theyr consciens blynde
Sodenly haue ben drowed a sharpe punycion:
Wherfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynde.

263

Other haue be glad to alienat the patronage
Of certayne churches by malice and enuy,
By a fals enquest for theyr owne auauntage,
Defraudyng the right of the holy monastery:
Suche euill doers remaynynge in theyr tyranny,
Without satisfaccion, in their consciens blynde,
Lyke wretches expired moste myserably:
Wherfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynde.

264

Other haue ben besy serching day and nyght
To infringe theyr fraunchis and fridome auncient
By fals recordes, oppugnant to ryght,
As hath ben proued by persones indifferent;
yet they haue procured and sought wronge iugement
Agaynst their libertes, in conscience blynde:
Sodayne and euyll deth folowed them consequent:
Wherfore to the monasterye be neuer vnkynde.

265

Some other haue be, parauenture on late,
Studious to disquiet the place, the company,
And diuers libertes haue alienate,
Also tolled their franchis fraudulently,
From the sayd place well knowen in memory;
Suche mysdoers we moue in conscience blynde
To mende their wronges, lest payne come sodeynly:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

266

Suche malefactours considre nat discretly
Howe all suche landes, libertes and fredoms
Were gyuen to Christ and ben his patrimonye,
195

And nat allonly to religious persons;
For all suche fraunches, priuileges, possessions
Of charite were gyuen, of pure conscience and mynde
To god and saynt Werburge with great deuocions:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

267

Nowe for to make a finall conclusion,
We well perceyue in auncient bokes olde,
All suche transgressours / holdyng their opinion,
Obstinate in malice, indurate and bolde,
Some haue ben slayne / some drowned in water colde,
Some shamfully hanged rebukyng their kynde,
Some wretchedly departed / some cruciat manyfolde:
Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde.

A litell orison or prayer to the blessed virgine saynte Werburge by the translatour of this werke. Ca. xxiii.

268

O Blessed Werburge and virgin glorious,
Descended by auncetrie of blod victoriall,
Doughter to kynge Vulfere / and Ormenilde vertuous,
O sufferayne lady and famous moiniall:
With hert and true mynde on the I call,
Thou art my succour / my helpe in all distres:
Defende and saue me from peynes infernall
By thy meke prayer, swete patrones.

269

O rutilant gemme clerer than the cristall,
O redolent rose repleit with suauite,
Whiche for the loue of thy spouse eternall
Refused hast all vayne pleasures transetore,
Honours / riches / and secular dignite;
Nowe regnyng in heuyn as a quene, doutles,
Praye for thy seruaunt to the lorde of mercy,
Mekely I beseke the, swete patronesse.
196

270

O sufferayne lady full of singular vertue,
Myndyng most religion from thy infancy
Elect to the a spouse our sauiour Iesu,
Professed obedience at the house of Ely,
Where thou obserued the sensuals thre
By grace aboue nature, playn to expresse:
Opteyne me power to haue victory
Ageynst myn ennemyes, swete patrones.

271

O floure of virgins and comly creature,
Syngyng with angels in the heuenly toure,
Transcendyng the saphir and diamounde pure
In worship, praisyng, beaute and decur;
What tong can reherse thy ioy and honour,
Whiche is ineffable for man to expresse?
Beseke thy spouse, our blessyd sauiour,
To graunte me mercy, swete patrones.

272

For thy great vertu and hie discrecion
Chosen thou was a pyler here to be
Of diuers monasteryes, to encrease religion
By thy gostly doctryne and humilite;
Exsample thou gaue of perfit charite
Vnto thi subgettis as a kynde maistres:
Helpe me thy seruaunt of thy benignite
To please my maker, swete patrones.

273

No maruell it was thought thy subgettis all
Were vertuous and perfect in contemplacion,
Vnder suche a ruler, a hed and principall,
Whose gostly example and exortation
Were corespondent, accordyng in one—
Thy precept and deed were vnit with mekenes:
In this vale [of] misery be my protection,
I humble the require, swete patrones.
197

274

Glorious abbasse and floure of chastite,
Carboncle shenyng bothe day and nyght,
All this region by thy noble progenie
And by the is decorat vnder god almyght;
The presens of thy blessyd body right
Reioisith thy seruauntis in all distres,
Thou art our refuge and lanterne of light:
Succour thy seruauntes, swete patrones.

275

O pereles princes, lady imperiall,
O gemme of holynes and noble president,
Comfort to all creatures in paynes thrall,
Releuyng all secke, feble and impotent;
A myrrour of mekenes to euery pacient,
Whose myracles magnifien thy great goodnes:
Defende thy seruaunt[es] from greuous turment
By thy supplicacion, swete patronesse.

276

O noble sufferayne and singular protectrice
Of thy true subiectes by speciall grace,
In all necessite a sure mediatrice,
From greuous oppression preseruyng thy place,
A lanterne of lyght in eche wofull case
To illumine thy people plonged in heuynes
With great consolacion and gostly solace:
Nowe lyghten our conscience, swete patronesse.

277

Swete louely lady, mekely I the praye,
For thy great mekenes and perfect charite,
Make thou intercession both nyght and day
For thy true seruauntes vnto the trinite,
That we may opteyne here grace and mercy
And of our synne to haue forgyuenes,
Afterwarde to come to eternall glorie;
Helpe nowe and euer, swete patronesse.
198

A breue conclusion of this litell werke vnto the reders, by the translatour. Cap. xxiiii.

278

With tremblynge penne / and hand full of drede
In termes rude translate nowe haue we
The noble historye of saynt Werburge in-dede,
Besekyng all them for their good humanite
Whiche this litell proces shall beholde and se,
For to adde and minisshe and cause reformacion
Where nede requireth after your discrecion.

279

At her lyfe historiall example may take
Euery great estate / quene / duches / and lady,
To encreace in vertue / and synne to forsake,
To obserue mekenes and prayer deuoutly,
With pacience of hert / and almesdede, truly.
If thou be widowe / her lyfe well folowyng
Thou mayst be sure in blis to haue a wonnyng.

280

If thou be religious / wearyng blacke vesture,
Take good example at this holy abbasse;
Her lyfe wyll teche the how thou shult endure
In holy religion / opteynyng mycle grace
With mekenes / meditacion / mesure in eche place,
And howe thou shalt kepe thy sensuals thre
Consideryng in heuen thy rewarde to be.

281

If thou be a virgin, of hie or low degre,
Takyng imitacion of this virgin bright
Thou mayst well obserue the floure of chastite
And thy spouse shalbe the lorde most of myght;
On whom if thou attende redy day and nyght,
Thou shalt haue merite, as recordeth scripture,
With .v. wise virgins after thy departure.
199

282

The cause mouyng vs this werke to begyn,
It was to auoyde slouth and idelnes,
And most for the loue of this holy virgin,
Whiche is our sufferayn lady and patrones.
As for baudy balades full of wretchednes,
And wanton wylde gestis / we purpose none to make,
For drede of losyng tyme / clothed in vesture blake.

283

Go forth, litell boke / Iesu be thy spede
And saue the alway from mysreportyng,
Whiche art compiled, for no clerke in-dede,
But for marchaunt men / hauyng litell lernyng,
And that rude people therby may haue knowyng
Of this holy virgin / and redolent rose,
Whiche hath ben kept full longe tyme in close.

284

To all auncient poetes, litell boke, submytte the,
Whilom flouryng in eloquence facundious,
And to all other / whiche present nowe be,
Fyrst to maister Chaucer / and Ludgate sentencious,
Also to preignaunt Barkley / nowe beyng religious,
To inuentiue Skelton and poet laureate;
Praye them all of pardon both erly and late.

285

If there be any thynge within this litell boke
Pleasaunt to the audience / contentyng the mynde,
We praye all reders / whan they theron do loke,
To gyue thankes to god maker of mankynde,
Nat to the translatour ignoraunt and blynde;
For euery good dede / done in any cost
It cometh allonly of the holy gost.

286

Almyghty god, both one two and thre,
We desire the with humble supplicacion,
Saue holy churche of thy benignite,
200

And all ministres in holy religion;
Preserue the kyngis grace, the Peeris, the region,
Defende our monasterie and thy seruau[n]tes all,
And graunt vs by grace to come to blis eternall!
FINIS.

A balade to the auctour.

287

O thou disciple of Tully most famous
Nowe flourisshyng in the floures of glorious eloquence,
Like as appereth by your stile facundius,
Full worthe laude, prayse and preeminence,
Put forth your werkes full sure of sentence—
Whose auctour / what though vncertayne be his name
Of all the reders exalted shalbe in fame.

288

Alas, why shulde this delicious werke,
Thus surely sette by pured science,
To be examined by my rudenes all derke,
Whiche knowe full well myn insufficience,
Sith I haue lerned by longe experience
That dulled age in werkes of poetry
Must nedes gyue to poetes place and victory.

289

Glorious god and kynge eternall,
We magnifie thy name as is but ryght,
Sith thou gaue to vs a floure most riall,
Redolent in cronicles with historicall syght;
Whiche nowe is departed from this temporall lyght
The present yere of this translacion
M.D. xiii. of Christis incarnacion.
Cuius anime propicietur deus.

An other balade.

290

O frutefull histore / o digne memoriall,
Enbawmed with doctrine of virtues infinite,
201

With termes exquised / and sence retoriall,
To spirituall hertes a singular delite,
Fragrant and facunde / of englisshe exquisite,
Holsome in doctrine / for those that it desire:
Auaunce you to rede it / for it is exquisite,
Folowynge theffect to kepe you from hell-fire.

291

Reioyse Chestre / reioyse ye religious
And thanke your maker of his beniuolence
That hath you gyuen suche treasure preciouse,
Aduocatrice / in your most indigence!
O virgin werburge / of double excellence,
Conserue thy seruauntes dayly familier,
Preseruyng them from inconuenience,
The for tensue / that art theyr lode-sterre.

292

Amonges the whiche to thyn honour
One of thy clientes / with morall retorique
Hath chaunged newly / o mayde most swete flour,
Thy legende latine / to our language publique:
Preserue his soule / and make hym domestique
Within the heuyns / in whiche that thou art sonke—
With deth preuent / he myght nothyng replique:
Harry Braddeshaa, of Chestre abbay monke.

293

O cruell deth / o theffe vindicatyfe,
To persons vertuous ennemy mortall,
Of this good clerke thou hast abbreged the lyfe,
Preuentyng hym with thy dede stronge fatall.
yet in dispite of thy most venomus gall
He hath translate this legende profitable
And left it for holsome memoriall
To all his sequaces— / a gyft most couenable,

294

With polysshed termes / and good sence litterall,
No place there voyde / but vertue abundeth.
202

Theffect is manifest: for science ouer all
Rethorically thy sentence groundeth,
All vices surely it confoundeth.
Shewynge the legende of this mayde pure,
Her shenyng lyfe eche-where redoundeth.
Suche steppes folowyng / we hope in them tendure.

An other balade to saynt werburge.

295

With hert contrite accepte my supplicacion,
Aydynge my fraylete and lyfe vacillaunt,
Renegate and contumace in all obstinacion,
Bewrapt with all synne / detestable and recreaunt;
Vouchsafe to supplie Iesu and geat graunt
Remyssion to haue of my synnes generall,
Greuous and thrall / that I may the auaunt:
A, gentill Werburge / to thy doctrine me call.

296

Wherfore thy father / thy mother Ermenilde
Enclined both to dedes catholique,
Ruffine and Kenrede / thy bretherne were fulfilde
Both with great grace / through martyrdome both like,
With diuers of thy kynne magnifique
Redact in the catholique papall:
Geat me suche grace to voyde all synnes inique
And gentill Werburge, to thy doctrine me call.

297

With faithfull clennes / thy soule was sure preserued,
Euer contynuynge in doctrine celicall,
Refusyng vanite / from vertue neuer swarued
But in all grace remaynyng principall;
Vnto thy deth exhortyng great and small
Ruled to be / to the preceptes diuine—
Gouerned by grace / were thy disciples all:
A, gentill Werburge, call me to suche doctrine.
203

298

Wordly felicite abiect from my courage;
Enuy and pride / with lustes voluptuous,
Rancorous cupidite myn hert sore do aswage,
Bryng oyntmentes sanatiue for my sores dolorous;
Vnclose thy succours / and be beniuolous,
Redy to be preseruyng me from pyne:
Gouerne my lyfe from all actes daungerous,
And gentill Werburge, call me to thy doctrine.

299

Be nowe beniuolent / whan I shall on the call,
Vnto thy slaue / as my trust hath ben sure;
Leue vnto me for a memoriall
Knowlege effectuall of thy lyfe pure,
Lyuynge ther-after / and so tendure,
Euer in purite my lyfe to contynue,
yeldyng thankes for thy most holsome lure—
Christ ouer vs holde his hande / al vices teschue.
Amen.
And thus endeth the lyfe and historye of saynt Werburge.
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